I'll Be There For You
by Atlantic Jewel
Summary: EJ's life is far from perfect, no matter what anybody thinks. So when a bunch of Pirates from the OP world get thrown into her life, how's she gonna be able to handle romances, friendships, rivalries and having to run for her life? And who is she REALLY?
1. Straw Hat Surprise

ONE PIECE

I'll Be There For You

CHAPTER ONE

Straw Hat Surprise

"Who are you?"

"What?"

"Somebody turn a Goddam light on!"

"I can't see!"

"WELL TURN A LIGHT ON!"

Chaos. Pure, chaos.

A hand reached up and turned on the light switch.

Luffy, Zolo, Nami, Usopp and Sanji stood there, facing a girl who had her hand still frozen on the light switch. She was short, about 5'0", with dark brown hair and wide, shocked hazel eyes.

Sanji was the first to move. "Such a beautiful woman!" He cried, rushing up to her and taking her hands in his. She just stood there, motionless. It was like she was a statue.

"You scared the hell out of her, you baka!" Zolo cried, slapping Sanji on the back of the head, and dragging him away from the frozen girl.

Nami looked around them, and murmured: "I've never seen a room like this before…" She looked at the wide-screen TV. "What is..?"

"Here!" Luffy cried, and pushed the button that turned the TV 'ON'.

The girl with brown hair was watching the TV. She knew what time it was. She knew _exactly_ what was going to happen, and so she dived at the wall, and turned the power off.

The Straw Hat crew looked at her like she was crazy.

"What did you do that for?" Luffy asked her, pouting as she stood up awkwardly.

_That was close, too close. I know they only just got here, but if they found out they were in a TV show here…shit! My manga! Oh well, who reads anyway? (Good thing Captain Kuro's not here…)_

"I…" The girl began and, just then, a sound made them all turn towards the door.

A black cat was standing at the doorway to the room, hissing. It's blood red eyes were fixed on Luffy and, quite suddenly, it pounced.

"Yikes!!" Luffy cried, darting out of the way, but the cat managed to clamp onto his arms, digging in razor sharp teeth and claws. "Get it off get it off get it off!!!" Luffy shouted.

_Thank God my parents aren't home, oh yeah, they're NEVER home…_

"KYO!" The girl shouted.

The cat immediately let go of Luffy, dropping harmlessly to the floor on all fours, and then walking silently across to his mistress.

"Kyo, if I've told you once I've told you a thousand times – _don't attack people_!" The girl said, and then picked up her cat. To Luffy she said: "I'm sorry. Kyo seems to have been watching C…" She bit her tongue and trailed off. She had been about to comment on how Kyo was starting to act like a certain pirate captain with claws, but that would have been a bad way to start things off here. Instead she said: "My name's Emma-Jane – or EJ, actually." She blushed a little bit as Sanji's hearts reappeared, but all she said was: "Stop it Sanji, it's very unusual."

"How so?" He asked her.

"Because…" She broke off, and then her face took on a reserved look. "Just because, okay."

"You will always be beautiful in my eyes!" Sanji declared, and EJ groaned. But Zolo, who was looking at her eyes, saw a slight trace of happiness in there.

There was no doubting it, this girl didn't mind Sanji's antics, yet still she shunned them away, claiming them unusual, at least towards her.

"So, where are we?" Nami suddenly asked. She didn't feel like she had been here before, and what was a _TV_!?

"Perth, Australia, of course." EJ replied automatically, glancing around her room carefully.

Her large One Piece poster had, thankfully, fallen off her wall, dragging at least three other posters down with it. Her manga was tucked away in her bookcase next to countless other mangas including Fushigi Yugi and Gravitation. And her Luffy doll, which she had received with One Piece volume one, was under her bed, where it had fallen just that morning as she rushed out the house to TAFE.

There were no traces at all of the fact that THESE GUYS WERE CHARACTERS IN A TV SHOW AND MANGA!!!!

EJ sighed, and then her breath hitched in her throat. "Miss Emma-Jane?" Called a man's voice.

"Oh no!" EJ gasped. "It's Jed!"

"Who's Jed?" Luffy wanted to know, as EJ's eyes darted to her bathroom door, and she began to push the members of the Straw Hat crew towards it.

"He's my…" EJ sighed. "He's my butler, and he will freak out if he finds five strange people in my room, four of whom are guys!"

Usopp finally spoke up. "He's…your butler?" He asked, and EJ knew EXATCTLY what Usopp was thinking. Usopp probably has issues with butlers, and this was going to bad enough as it was.

"Not now!" EJ hissed, pushing them all into the bathroom and closing the door, just as Jed walked in.

His resemblance to Captain Kuro was scary. They could have been brothers or something. EJ could swear she heard Usopp gasp, and knew he was watching through the key-hole.

"Is everything alright up here, Miss Emma-Jane?" Jed asked her, in his calm voice.

"Sure Jed, why wouldn't it be?" EJ rambled. "Just fine, nothing wrong, everything's great, okay?"

Kyo meowed in a sarcastic way. EJ glared at him.

"Okay…" Jed paused, and then turned to leave. At last he said: "Oh, and Miss Emma-Jane?"

"Hmm?"

"Your parents won't be coming home for another two days now…I'm sorry." He finished awkwardly, and then left.

As soon as the door had shut, the Straw Hat crew piled out of the bathroom.

"He reminds me of Kuro!" Usopp said, shuddering.

"Not necessarily a bad thing." EJ said flatly. She had turned, and wouldn't look at anyone except Kyo.

"Yes it is!" Usopp cried. "Kuro's a bastard! He's an…"

"Evil genius?" EJ said bluntly. "Who tried to kill someone for peace of mind? Yeah, that's it, well sometimes…" She turned around suddenly, and they all saw how bright her eyes were, and red-rimmed. "Jed's the closest thing to a family I've got. My…" She stopped talking again. 'Okay, look, you guys just got here, I just got back from a full day of tests, and I'm tired!"

Kyo meowed pointedly.

"What's up with the cat?" Zolo asked her.

"He wants to go out." EJ said immediately.

"How did you know that?" Luffy wanted to know.

"Intuition." She replied.

"I'll take the cat out for you." Nami said, walking towards the door. "Ummm…where's the..?"

"Just walk straight down the hall until you reach the stairs and go down," EJ told her, opening the door for her. "Then you'll see a double glass door, that leads outside. Just watch out for Jed, but you're a thief, you'll be fine…"

"Okay." Nami smiled, and Kyo followed her almost snootily out of the room.

"That cat's weird." Luffy commented, sitting down on the dark blue carpet.

EJ rounded on him. "You take that back!" She exclaimed.

"Why?" Luffy wanted to know. "It's true, isn't it?"

"No!" EJ cried, throwing her hands up. The Straw Hat crew had just appeared in her bedroom and they were the most difficult bunch to contend with! "He's just…had a hard life…" EJ paused, and then added softly: "Like me…"

"You?" Zolo rolled his eyes. "You live in a house with two stories and you have a butler and your room is…well, I dunno." He glared at her, and she cringed. "How can you say _that's_ a hard life?"

"It wasn't always like this." EJ said calmly, as Nami and Kyo returned. "I've had to suffer a lot for other people's mistakes, and I…" She broke off, as Nami was shaking. "Nami?"

And Nami uttered the two most dreaded words, although not the ones EJ would have liked to have heard, although they put her on edge.

"Arlong's here."

**MEG: OMIGOSH!! A cliffie!! Sorry, but I'll try to update soon!!**


	2. Sisters

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER TWO

Sisters

"Where are we?"

"I think we're in a bathroom…"

"We spent the night in a bathroom?"

"It's not just any bathroom, it's _EJ's_ bathroom!!"

That last one was definitely Sanji. EJ woke up with a groan, and then heard Luffy's voice: "EJ!? Can we come out now!?"

Suddenly, there was a knock on her door. "EJ!" Shouted a an older female's voice. "Are you awake!?"

"NO!!" EJ shrieked, for both people's benefits, and Kyo rolled his eyes as the bedroom door swung open.

Into the room stalked Kylie, EJ's older by eleven months sister. She had long blonde hair and green eyes – the two looked nothing alike.

"You little bitch!" Kylie said, throwing a compact down onto EJ's bed. "You ruined the last of my compact!" She looked angry. "Why!?"

EJ thought back to the hassles of the previous night…

"_A-Arlong?" Usopp stuttured. "N-n-not h-h-him!"_

_Arlong? EJ thought. A secret grin could be seen. Bring it on!_

"_Why are you grinning EJ!?" Usopp cried. "This is terrible!"_

_EJ turned away from the Straw Hat crew and looked out her window. "I'm grinning," She said calmly. "Because he's a little far from home? We're out in the middle of rural Banjup, surrounded by trees, sand and poisonous snakes. I'd be surprised if Arlong lasted ten minutes before he writhers up and dies, the bastard." She added, practically spitting out the last part. Also, she thought to herself. If HE'S here, does that mean other characters from One Piece are here too? The Black Cat Pirates might be here too…and Buggy's crew, maybe Mihawk as well…_

_EJ shivered._

_Meanwhile, only Zolo was looking at her._

"_How did you find that out, Nami?" Luffy asked her, seriously._

"_I heard his voice and…I saw him…" Nami shuddered. "In the distance, standing on a hill."_

_Damn that hill. EJ thought. Then, she turned around and said: "You guys handled Arlong before, right? You can do it again."_

"_Do you even know what he did to my family!!??" Nami screamed._

"_Ssh!" EJ hissed. "Yes, I do, and believe me I cried just hearing about it! Creatures like that don't even deserve to rot in hell!" Her eyes flashed. Suddenly, there was a clap of thunder._

"_Did you do that!?" Luffy asked, his eyes wide and, suddenly, the room was plunged into darkness._

"_No," EJ sighed, as she felt Kyo press up against her ankles. "But the powers just gone out. If it's raining…"_

_HSHHHHHHH!!!!_

"_Then that means that Merman MIGHT last a little bit longer then expected…" EJ frowned, and then opened her bedroom door. "Jed!?" She shouted. "Are the flashlights still in Kylie's room!?"_

"_Yes!"_

"_Where IS Kylie anyways!?"_

"_She's studying at a friend's house tonight!"_

_Again? EJ thought, and then walked out of her room, followed by Kyo and the Straw Hat crew. "Ah, why are you guys coming?"_

"_I came to keep Nami-San company." Sanji said, putting a hand on the wall to navigate through the darkness._

"_I came because Sanji came." Luffy said._

"_I came in case Luffy gets into trouble." Zolo added._

"_I came because I'm the brave Captain Usopp!" The liar lied._

"_You only came because everyone else came!" EJ told him. "Still, company is good…okay, this is Kylie's room…"_

"_Where are the flashlights?" Luffy asked as they all filed into the totally clean room. Then: "WHAT'S a flashlight?"_

"_This." EJ clicked one on, and then immediately wished she hadn't._

_Luffy had stood on Kylie's favourite compact._

_Kylie was going to have a cow._

There had been nothing they could do about Arlong's being there. EJ assured them that they'd be quite safe with Jed there (not to mention Kyo, and her, the martial artist of Banjup) and they had all fallen asleep on edge.

Now, they were woken up on edge, as Kylie demanded an explanation.

What could EJ say? _Sorry sis, but Luffy – you know, Monkey D. Luffy the pirate? – stood on your compact last night…_

No, that wouldn't work.

She rubbed her forehead where the compact had hit her, and said: "Kylie, I didn't…"

"OF COURSE YOU DID, YOU LITTLE IDIOT!!" Kylie screamed. "YOU HAVE MY FLASHLIGHTS, YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE WHO WAS IN MY ROOM!!" She turned again and stomped towards the door. "Ooh, just wait until Mother and Father hear about this!" She added, and left, slamming the door so that a poster of David Draiman fell off from the back of the door.

That was when the Straw Hat Crew came out of the bathroom.

"Yikes, who was that?" Luffy wanted to know.

"Kylie, my sister, I told you about her last night." EJ began to clean up the compact.

"A beautiful girl," It had been Sanji's turn to watch through the key hole. "But such an ugly heart." He added,a nd smiled at EJ. "Not like _you_ EJ-Chan, you're beautiful in heart _and_ in looks!"

EJ didn't reply, as she finished cleaning her bedspread, and then dove back under the covers again.

"What?" Zolo asked her, annoyed.

"I'm not going to TAFE today," She had told them about TAFE the night before. "I'm staying here!"

"But, don't you have your tests?" Nami, who had slightly gotten over her Arlong shock, asked her gently.

EJ peeked out from under the covers. "Y-yes, but that's not the reason I don't want to go. There's these people…"

"And?" Zolo pressed.

"One's lecher one's a slut one's a bitch and one's a bastard!!" EJ said all in a rush.

Sanji, however, got the gist of it, and he looked angry. "Did one of these guys hurt you, EJ-Chan?"

EJ rolled over and didn't answer. Kyo jumped onto his mistress's shoulder, and looked warningly at the Straw Hat Crew.

"Your cat doesn't like us much, EJ." Nami pointed out.

"Kyo doesn't really like anyone." EJ replied, glancing out the window at the sunny day. Hmm, maybe she _would_ go to TAFE today. She got to ride on the train… "He's a loner, like me. No friends, no real family…"

"No friends!?" Luffy cried.

"No family!?" Nami exclaimed at the same time.

_Damn. Why don't I just tell them everything now!?_ EJ groaned, rolled over so that Kyo jumped onto her stomach, and then she sat up. "I…"

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP!!!!!!!! Went her alarm clock, and then her personalised message added: "Yo-ho-ho, you should be gone by now me hearty!!"

"IT'S SOOOOOO LATE!!!!" She jumped up. "AND I'VE GOT A TEST STRAIGHT UP!!!! SANJI!! WHY DIDN'T YOU WAKE ME!!??" She added, half getting changed into her TAFE gear and half struggling into the bathroom because Sanji and even Zolo were watching her get changed.

Kyo covered his eyes with his paws.


	3. Can We Come Too?

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER THREE

Can We Come Too?

"Mistress of burden to idolize…" EJ was singing Disturbed songs as she did what she'd never done before – snuck breakfast up to five practically starving pirates.

"You must be hungry today, Miss. Emma-Jane…" Jed said.

_Damn! Caught!_ "Y-yeah! Gotta have energy for those tests! And eat fast!" EJ cried, and she and Kyo ran the rest of the way up to her room.

"Whew! That was close!" EJ said, as she distributed the food, giving Luffy more bacon then anyone else. _My God, I think Jed knows! He really is Captain Kuro's parallel self! Nothing gets past either of them! (Is Jed evil?)_

"EJ? Aren't you late?" Zolo asked her, from behind his smiley face bacon and eggs.

"Huh?" EJ blinked. "Oh, yeah…TAFE…" _And the lecher and the bastard…not to mention the girls…_

Sanji seemed to read her mind. "Do you want me to come with you today?"

EJ looked up. Sanji, with her, all day, protecting her from bad people (and flirting with girls, but that's just Sanji)????

It was tempting, but…

"No," EJ shook her head. "See, you guys aren't actually allowed to come to TAFE with me…" That was dangerous, a lie, they _were_ if they were, say, checking out the campus, but people would recognise them. The resemblance went too far for being cosplayers. WAY too far…

"Aww…" Luffy looked so unhappy, especially when EJ added that they shouldn't leave the house, since they were…ahem, not in their own world (then she had to say she didn't know how) that she ALMOST gave in.

Almost.

"Now, don't go anywhere," EJ warned, as she left the room. "Or Kyo WILL tell me, won't you Kyo?"

The black cat nodded and meowed.

"That's scary." EJ heard Usopp say to Luffy as she left.

"I wonder if we can eat it." Luffy replied.

EJ smiled. She'd like to see Luffy try.


	4. I Told You No!

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FOUR

I Told You No!!

EJ's MP3 Player was up loud. Very loud. Volume 40 outta 40. She liked it that way, once a week, on Thursdays, when she had classes with THEM.

THEY were doing a slightly different course, but both hers and theirs involved 3D animation, and it was terrible, having a class like that with them…

Someone tapped her on the shoulder. EJ looked up, and there HE was.

He was motioning for her to remove her earphones, and she did so, just to humour him.

"Hello Andre." She said dryly.

"Ah, Emma-Jane, your beauty is like that of a…"

"Corpse weed?" She interrupted him, as the train made its appearance from around the bend, in all of its green and white glory. "Yeah, I know."

"Why do you deny your beauty like that?" Andre asked her, as Shane, Cassie and Sara walked up to them.

_Oh no, it's THEM…_ EJ thought, and wished that the train would get there. It was sure taking its sweet time.

"Why do you waste your time with her, Andre?" Sara wanted to know.

EJ narrowed her eyes. In high school, she and Sara had been friends. But then, Sara had backstabbed her.

"Because she knows she's meant to be mine." Andre said, leaning closer towards EJ. At the same time, Shane, Sara's cousin, decided to make his move too.

_Oh fuck, two at once?_ EJ didn't WANT to use her martial arts on them for one reason.

They knew it too. Martial arts, that is.

"Where did Sanji go?" Luffy asked.

"Yeah, and Zolo's gone too." Usopp realised, as they sat watching EJ's TV in awe. Nami had made them turn the volume down so that Jed wouldn't hear it.

"They…" Nami glanced at Kyo, who acted like he wasn't listening. "Went after EJ." Nami finished, and Kyo rolled his eyes. "Well she's gonna find out anyway!" Nami told the cat.

"But EJ said not to." Luffy complained. "If they went, I wanna go too!"

Nami sighed. "Luffy," She said in her sweetest voice. "Do you want something to eat?"

Luffy paused, and tore his eyes away from Naruto kicking Kiba's tail on TV. "Yeah, another smiley face bacon and eggs'd be good…" He paused, and then added. "And, can you add a bacon nose…and hair…and ears…and a bacon body?"

"Jeez Luffy, you already stole enough of OUR bacon this morning!" Usopp told him.

"It still IS morning…" Nami sighed again. And what a long one it would be!

_I can't lose my first kiss to…to…one of THESE freaks!!_ EJ's mind was racing. She was pressed up against the wall, about to be…

Suddenly, Shane went flying away from her, curtesy of a well-aimed kick from one blonde-haired cook.

A second later, Andre was knocked away from EJ as well, and pinned up against another wall by Zolo who, thankfully, kept his swords sheathed. Swords and civilized places do not mix!

Sara and Cassie's mouths dropped open at the two hot (anime) guys.

EJ's mouth dropped open too. "S-Sanji!? And Zolo!? I…I said no! You were supposed to not come!"

"We couldn't leave you out here alone, EJ-Chan." Sanji told her calmly, about to light a cigarette until EJ pointed out the NO SMOKING sign to him. "Damn, but for you, EJ-Chan, anything…"

"Zolo," EJ said, feeling calmer now. "Let Andre go before he…" Andre detached himself from Zolo and flipped in mid air to land carefully beside Shane, who was picking himself up off the ground. "Does that." EJ sighed. "They know martial arts too." She said pointlessly, as a guard began walking over to them.

_Oh no!_ EJ thought. _He's seen Zolo's swords, and Sanji's kick that made Shane's nose bleed…oh, I'd give ANYTHING for a distraction!_

It happened. Her prayers were answered.

Somebody suddenly hopped across the tracks, just as the express train glided through.

EJ stared at him on the opposite sides of the tracks, and so did the guard, who was standing near her. The four idiots and two anime boys were still preoccupied.

The guard didn't recognise the other person, green hair, smirk, but EJ did.

Kitty cat ears.

_I thought Zolo killed him…_


	5. Oh Yeah

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER FIVE

Oh Yeah…

EJ calmed down when the next train showed up. The guard had left, trying to figure out who that guy was, and THEY had left too, much to EJ's relief. Probably to take Shane to the hospital.

"How did you get in here?" EJ asked, as they boarded the train.

Zolo silently handed her her wallet, and said: "The change is all in there."

"I'm going to kill you two." EJ sighed, and sat down. Zolo and Sanji sat down on either side of her.

As the train pulled out of Cockburn station, EJ noticed how many weird looks she was getting, and she knew why.

Sanji and Zolo were two of the hottest guys in all of anime. Even with his green hair, Zolo's deep voice, tanned skin and those three earrings he always wears were enough to turn most girls to mush.

Sanji was blonde, cool and dressed snappily.

_If anyone recognises them, I'm toast…_ EJ didn't think anyone would recognise them though. Not on THIS train, anyways.

Old people, going to some function, that was all.

One woman commented: "My, those two strapping young men are very attractive. That young lady is very lucky."

EJ turned red.

Zolo smirked. He knew that EJ was boiling inside because he and Sanji had disobeyed her, but since when did Zolo listen to reason?

Sanji just smiled calmly. He liked that he'd protected EJ, but he kinda wished that she'd thank him.

"Thankyou." She suddenly mumbled, so quietly that they barely heard her. Then, she smiled. "Now I don't have to see THEM in class today!" She frowned then. "I just hope…that Luffy doesn't get into any trouble…he seems the type to…"

"EJ, what's that?" Zolo interrupted her.

"Baka! Don't interrupt a woman!" Sanji scolded him.

"It's okay." EJ said. "And, Zolo, in answer to your question, _that_ is Perth City."

"Sii-dee?" Zolo repeated.

EJ giggled.

Zolo's face turned a light shade of pink and he turned away to look out the window. This world was strange to him. He didn't know how he'd gotten here, but he was slightly glad EJ was there. She seemed to know about this world as much as she knew about them. It made him suspicious, which was one reason he was coming. To keep an eye on her.

Also, he didn't trust cook-san alone with her. His flirting would probably scare the hell out of her.

"EJ-Chan?" Sanji suddenly said. "Umm…what made the guard leave so suddenly?"

EJ went white, and rigid, so even Zolo noticed. "What?" He asked her.

EJ sighed. "You're not gonna like this…"

"Is it bad?" Zolo pressed.

"Oh yeah…"

"_Did you find them?"_

"_Yes Captain. They were there, causing trouble as we already thought they would. The swordsman I recognised, and he was with a blonde-haired guy in a suit. They mentioned that there was a new crew member of that description."_

"_Well done." Those were rare words from him. "Was anyone else with them?"_

"_There was a middle-aged man, and there were four teenagers, one of them was bleeding from the nose. Oh, and a cute girl who looked like she was very close to the Straw Hat Crew…"_

"_Is that so?"_

"_Oh yeah…actually, she might be the…"_

"_Captain, my Captain! Butchie got stuck in the doorway again!!"_

"_Not again…Django..?"_

"_I'm on it, Captain." He left._

"_And, as for you, I want you to keep an eye on them for me. Do you think you can manage that without screwing up?"_

"_Aye, Captain Kuro."_

"_Very well Siam. I know your concerns regarding revenge on the swordsman, but don't move until I say so. Also…"_

"_Watch the girl as well?"_

"_You have complaints against that?"_

"_No Captain, I don't mind at all." A smirk._

"_Very well." He adjusts his glasses just so. "You may go."_

"_Aye aye, Captain."_

**MEG: Survival…it's uncanny in these cat types. Better luck next time Zolo-Chan!**

**ZOLO: DON'T call me 'Chan'!**


	6. The Capture

CHAPTER SIX

The Capture

**MEG: This chapter's got killings in it, so no likey no readey, but if you don't then you may miss some things. But, anyone who's seen the uncut version of Nami's past should be fine… :(**

"Listen?" EJ asked, cocking her head to one side as they stepped out of the train station at Claisebrook. "I hear something…"

Sanji and Zolo exchanged looks.

Then, Zolo said: "EJ, stay here."

They could hear it too, the sounds of screaming, and of something – possibly swords – piercing flesh.

"If anyone comes near you, EJ-Chan…" Sanji began.

"Scream?" She guessed.

The boys both nodded, and walked down the steps towards the TAFE building.

OoO

EJ sat on the top step, but couldn't see anything past the line of trees. She was scared – no, terrified – since she had recently just watched Nami's past on You-Tube – UNCUT, that is. She knew what pirates from the One Piece world were capable of. Killing people, innocent people…

EJ began to shake. She had seen it all before.

Killing. Death. Dead people.

People she cared about.

She stood up, still shaking.

_To hell I'm gonna let it happen again…_

"Why are you shaking?" Said a voice from behind her. She knew that voice. How could he have gotten here so fast?

"How did you get here so fast?"

"Is that any way to great me, my pretty?" Was what she heard before everything went black.

"Wh-what is this?" Zolo came to a dead halt, not entirely used to seeing so many dead bodies in one place before. Men, women and children – teenagers, really, but still dead.

Gunshot wounds through each of their hearts, the blood pooling around them…

"It's sick…" Sanji muttered.

"NO, PLEASE NO!!" They heard a girl scream and, without a pause, ran towards the sound.

There was a pirate they all, especially Nami, feared.

Arlong.

How did he get here?

(It's called a RIVER, folks, and Perth has one…)

"I'm going to kill you," Arlong sneered, holding the girl by the throat and pointing the gun at her. Her legs were lacerated, and her left hand missing. It had been cut off. "Because if you're the Light Princess, then my mission to destroy you will be over! Those other fools just got in the way!" And he shot her, noting with satisfaction the way her p-human blood spilt as he carelessly dropped her to the floor, and then noticed his guests. "Well, isn't _this_ a surprise…"

OoO

"_Where…where am I?"_

"_You're safe. For now."_

"_Safe? With you? Siam Meowban? Yeah, right."_

"_I…" He broke off. "C-C-Captain…"_

"_Siam, what in Neptune's name is she doing here!!??"_

"_Sh-she's the-the Princess…"_

"_Yes, I can see that!"_

"_They were going to kill her! I had to do something!"_

_Wait…what is he talking about? Why haven't I been killed yet? Sanji? Zolo? Zolo, where are you!!??_

_Where am I?_


	7. Blood Sword

CHAPTER SEVEN

Blood Sword

EJ was staring at Captain Kuro like she had never seen him before. But, of course, she had, and inside she was shaking - from fear and from anticipation. Here was Captain Kuro, the evil genius who had ALMOST gotten away with "accidental" murder - if Luffy hadn't stopped him. Although EJ despised the plan Kuro had concocted to kill the innocent Kyja, she had to admire his intellect, his strategic train of thinking, and his stealth walk. Oh, and the way he pushed his glasses up without scratching himself with his cat claws. That was cool too.

But, that was about it.

He was still evil.

So, why hadn't he killed her?

Siam and Kuro were...not exactly arguing, but EJ, sitting in this abandoned warehouse with her hands and feet bound, wouldn't exactly call it a friendly conversation.

"That fish guy was killing people left and right!" Siam protested, while keeping a safe distance away from his unpredictable captain. "I _had_ to get her out of there, without being seen!"

They both looked at EJ just then, and she said: "Fish guy? Arlong?"

"Yes," Kuro replied, adjusting his glasses. EJ nearly fell off her chair. "That would be the captain of the Merman crew. What I wonder, is _why_ he is so intent on killing the Princess." The two Black Cat pirates looked at EJ again, this time pointedly.

EJ thought she was having a Master Raindrop moment, and like Flamo said: "What!? Who!? ... Me!?"

Siam and Kuro nodded.

"N-no way!" EJ looked around for someone to back her up, and spotted Django. "T-tell em' Django!"

He held up his hands. "Don't drag me into this! I'm just following Captain Kuro's orders!"

"Is that so?" EJ looked around her. She was in the oldest, but also one of the largest warehouses she had ever seen outside of a movie. She was surrounded by Black Cat Pirates as well. Siam and Butchie (who were SUPPOSED to be dead), Django, Captain Kuro, everyone. How did they get here? What were they doing here? "How about untying me folks?" She asked.

Kuro was at her side in an instant. He used his Stealth Walk and, quite suddenly, her ropes were cut.

"Freedom!" She cried, jumping up into the air.

Siam hid a grin.

OoO

"Did you two come to admire the work I've done here?" Arlong said, smiling his big shark-like grin. "The prophet told me that the Princess would be here today, and so I came! I've done away with her, as you can see!"

"You've done away with more then that, I can see." Zolo said angrily, unsheathing his swords.

"Yeah, and I don't see a lot of point to it." Sanji added, assuming a fighting stance.

Arlong seemed casual, but you could tell he was itching for more p-human blood to be drawn. "Look, I don't want to cause anymore trouble," He lied. "So why don't we all just go our separate ways?"

"Not an option!" Sanji was the first to attack.

As this happened, two more things happened. Zolo wondered if Arlong's prophet was the same prophet who had sent the Straw Hat Crew here. He also happened to wonder who this Princess was that Arlong was talking about.

Quite obviously, she was a human, and Arlong despised all humans. He must have wanted to kill her because of that. It made sense to all of these killing around here, but it didn't justify what the Merman had done.

Also, was he alone? Or were his crew here too?

OoO

_No, no, no, this must not happen._ The Prophet thought, and appeared as suddenly as she had before, floating in mid-air above the fight scene, where Arlong was sporting already swelling bruises, and Sanji was bleeding where Arlong had bitten into him.

The Prophet was a twenty-year old woman in appearance, but really she was over seven hundred years old, and guarded the door of space and time. She carried a big key-like scepter. Her hair was raven-coloured with jade highlights, and her eyes were two garnet orbs.

The three fighting below - for of course, Zolo had joined in the fight - noticed and recognised her instantly, and stopped what they were doing.

"If one of you from the world you hail from dies," The Prophet, whose name was Setsuna, said in her melodic voice. "Then you shall never be able to return to your home. What's more, I cannot say for sure what will happen to the _rest_ of you. You are bound by the laws of space travel. Remember that." And, without a further word, she created a portal, in which Arlong was sucked into, and then they both disappeared.

Sanji and Zolo stared at the spot where the other two had disappeared, and then they just exchanged a silent glance.

"Well..." Sanji said thoughtfully. "We'd better get back to EJ-Chan." They both turned and, without even glancing at all of the dead bodies, they made their way back up the stairs to the train station.

It was amazing that nobody, not even police (although Sanji and Zolo didn't know what police were), had come along to help.

It was also amazing, but in a far worse way, that EJ was nowhere to be seen.

Zolo and Sanji looked around. There was no sign of a struggle, but they both knew that their host of less then one day would never abandon them.

That was when Zolo found what he was looking for,on the rail.

Claw marks. From cat claws. _Human_ sized cat claws, that is.

Zolo and Sanji exchanged a grim glance.

OoO

"A Prophet named Setsuna who guards the door of space and time and has green hair huh?" EJ said, feeling more and more like she was in various TV shows. "That makes sense, I guess..." She trailed off. "But, what does all of _this_ have to do with me?"

She was sitting on her chair again. Kuro was leaning against a wall nearby, and the other Black Cat Pirates were listening in too. EJ was more excited then scared. The Black Cats, so far, hadn't done anything that might say they would kill her, indeed Siam had been _very_ careful in carrying her back to the Black Cat's "base". How he had learnt about pressure points that sent people to sleep, EJ didn't know. She was also still wondering why the Black Cats were not dead yet, and also how they had managed to get food - until she realised that this "abandoned" warehouse was being used to store the very things one would need to eat to stay alive.

EJ wondered, also, what Kuro was doing here. Hadn't he wanted to abandon his pirate life? She had to wonder now...

"There is a legend," Kuro said plainly. "That foretells something interesting. 'A beautiful princess from another world will wield the crimson blade and have unimaginable power'."

The Black Cats were all looking at EJ again, and were shocked when she started laughing.

"Me!?" She said between gasps. "A...a _beautiful_ Princess!? Give me a break! You sound worse then Sanji!" She stopped laughing suddenly. "Oh no! Sanji! Zolo! They'll be worrying about me!" She suddenly saw the angry look in Captain Kuro's eyes. EJ felt angry too. Why should _she_ hate the Straw Hat Crew, just because Kuro did!? "Hey, I'm a compassionate person, and I don't just like abandoning people who need my help! Know this - Luffy and his crew aren't the most recourceful people in the world!"

"Indeed." Kuro replied, adjusting his glasses but still glaring.

"Also," EJ said, more to save herself then anything else. "If they died from starvation or what-not, then _you_ wouldn't be able to wreak your vengance upon them!"

_Quite right._ Kuro thought, but all he said was: "You do understand, that _you_ are the Princess from the legend."

EJ shook her head. "No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are!" Siam interrupted whatever it was Kuro had been about to answer.

"No, I am not!" EJ faced the green-haired Meowban brother.

"You are!"

"Not!"

"Are!"

"Not!"

"Are!"

"Not!"

"Are!"

"Are!"  
"Not!"

"Ha!" EJ cried triumphantly. "I win!"

"She got you there, Siam." A random Black Cat Pirate muttered.

EJ turned back to Captain Kuro. Why was it that she found the Straw Hat Crew to be most infuriating, and yet here she was, besting a member of the Black Cat Crew at wordplay, and finding that she felt totally comfortable around the 'blood-thirsty scalawags'? "If I am this...Princess, thing...then prove it." She said flatly.

Kuro didn't hesitate. "Come with me."

EJ lingered, as Kuro walked towards a door that led into another room of the warehouse, but then she decided to follow him, just out of curiosity. Hey, she'd come this far, and if she was going to die now then at least she'd die knowing she wasn't a wimp. She felt a little bit better when Siam, Butchie and Django came as well, although Butchie couldn't fit through the doorway, and remained outside.

Inside the room there was only one thing in there which caught EJ's eye immediately.

It was a stone grey sword, sitting in the middle of the room, looking like Prince Phillip's sword in Sleeping Beauty, after he slays the Mallificent Dragon with it. Actually, it resembled more Mihawk's black sword.

"What's this supposed to mean?" EJ wanted to know, examining the sword from various angles.

"That sword," Kuro explained, adjusting his glasses. "Just appeared here when we did. None of my men can lift it, nor can it even be moved. It is the sword that the Princess must wield."

"You said the Princess would wield a _crimson_ sword." EJ reminded him. "This sword is more like a _grey_ sword then anything. How do you know it's the one?"

"Examine the marking on the hilt." Kuro advised her, wondering where his endless patience with this girl was coming from.

_He's patient with me, just like Jed._ EJ realised. _Also, looking at their faces, I can see some differences, like Jed's eye's are a lighter colour, etc. _She stooped down to examine the dark marking on the sword's hilt. They looked like letters, in fact they were Japanese hiragana. EJ had taken some Japanese classes at school, and so was easily able to translate the words into: "The sword shalt glow in scarlet, when the toll of the sacrifice is met..." Her brain began ticking. _Toll of sacrifice...blood sword...scarlet/crimson...blood..._ "That's it..." She muttered, and stood up again. She walked over to the nearest person, who happened to be Siam, and stood in front of him. 'Siam," She said, holding out her right arm. "Scratch my arm with your claws."

Siam hesitated. "What for?" He wanted to know.

EJ sighed. "Just do it, and trust me," She looked into his cat-like eyes. "Okay?" She then squinched her eyes shut, and waited for the pain. It didn't come.

She opened them, and found that Siam _still_ hadn't drawn any blood from her yet!

"Look, do I have to get Django to hypnotise you?" EJ hoped that everyone would think that she knew so much about them because she was the Princess, though not the beautiful one. "Siam, scratch my arm now!" She commanded, a different look taking over her eyes.

Finally, Siam did as he was told.

_Yowch, that smarts._ EJ thought, as the blood dripped slowly from her arm. She walked back over to the sword without looking at anyone, and knelt beside it. There, just above the hilt, was a small round shallow dip. EJ positioned her arm above it, and watched as the blood dripped into the dip.

At once, the blood spread, colouring the sword a dark blood red. The shallow dip where EJ's blood had settled in a pool, solidified into a blood red ruby, which shone.

Django, Siam and Butchie, from the doorway, looked on in awe. Only Kuro remained impassive.

EJ, satisfied that her job was complete, now stood up, and brought the sword up with her.

She held it easily in her left hand, and placed it on her right arm. At once, the scratches from Siam healed into white scars. EJ easily transferred the sword to her right hand, and stoo facing Captain Kuro.

"There." She said. "Anyone could have done that."

"No," Kuro said, rolling up his sleeve and showing her the cuts in _his_ arm. "They could not."

EJ didn't know what to say to that.

The sword felt..._right_ in her hand, like it belonged there. She felt as if she had always owned this sword, and that each would do anything to help the other out. EJ vowed to clean the sword whenever it got dirty, and to make herself worthy enought to weild it.

After all, it was coloured all over with her blood.

It was like her baby, her child, and she wanted to protect it.

And use it to protect others.

But...from whom?


	8. Find A Way Back Home

CHAPTER EIGHT

Find A Way Back Home

Sanji and Zolo were at a loss of what to do. Where had EJ gone? The claw marks had obviously been made from one of the Black Cat Pirates, and Zolo guessed one of the Meowban Brothers.

"Who would've thought?" He muttered grimly, as Sanji puffed away on a cigarette. "I thought I killed those two idiots."

"Aparently not," Sanji told him, recalling the story Usopp had told about the fight against the Black Cat Pirates, before Sanji had joined the Straw Hat Crew. "And now they've got EJ-Chan."

"We have no hope of finding her in a city this big." Zolo realised, glancing at the tall sky-scrapers. "Our best bet would be to go back to what EJ called 'The Perth Underground' and get back to the station we got on at. We can rally up the others to find her." _Before she gets into big trouble._ Zolo thought to himself.

"But EJ-Chan has her wallet with her," Sanji reminded Zolo as they walked along the walkway. "So we can't buy those ticket thingies from before."

"Who cares?" Zolo replied.

Luckily, there were no guards on the trains to find out the two heart-throbs had no tickets, although Zolo certainly had his hands full trying to keep Sanji away from ever beautiful woman he saw. He had to pay close attention to what platform they got on at and where they were in regards to stations, and he must've told at least twenty people that his swords were "plastic".

Sanji got told off by an old man for smoking.

When they finally reached the station called Cockburn, they went up the stairs and across the walkway, and to the carpark.

"EJ-Chan drove here in one of them, didn't she?" Sanji muttered, pointing his newly lit cigarette to to row of cars parked nose to bumper.

"How did you know?"

"I watched her go." Sanji looked at the cars, and then pointed to a white Lancer. "That's her car." He announced.

"How did you know?"

"Because her cat's sitting on the front of it." Sanji said, and Zolo looked, as Kyo leapt off of the car and trotted over to them.

"He's come to show us the way home, in case we forgot." Zolo realised. _Smart cat._ He thought, smiling a little.

"You weren't supposed to leave the house, EJ-Chan said." Sanji reprimanded the black cat.

For this, he got a few neat scratches on the side of his face, curtousy of Kyo's sharp claws.

That reminded Zolo of EJ and her abduction. "Come on." He said, anxious to get going.

He was also anxious to let EJ know he'd been there, and so he left one of his smaller trademarks tied to a lampost - his bandana.

EJ thought that Siam reminded her of a _real_ cat, the way he was leaping over rooftops and buildings without being seen, and with her clinging to his back.

The Blood Sword was strapped to her back, and it felt weightless as they practically flew along.

EJ knew that the Meowban Brothers were cat-like, but this was just unbelievable. It was like something from a dream.

EJ thought about what had happened to her in the last twenty hours, and she was glad she wasn't standing up, because it really took her breath away. One Piece characters, some of them her favourites, living amidst them. Some were living in her _house_, sleeping in her bethroom and hanging out in her room!

Captain Kuro had given her a sword, and Siam had helped her to "bloodify" it. And now he was carrying her back to the train station, where her car was.

At this stage, EJ didn't know that Arlong was seeking to kill the Princess from the legend, and so she didn't know how lucky she was that this was NOT Kuro's plan. She also didn't know enough to question Kuro's decisions, including his decision not to kill her.

At the moment, her face was flushed pink with exhilheration and she was also blushing. This was...she had never...

Siam's cat ear headband. Those little raven-coloured triangles that resembled kitty cat ears...she wanted to...touch them (she felt like Kagome).

But, before she could work up the nerve to do so, she realised that they'd reached Cockburn station.

It was night by now, and EJ was glad for her ability to see in the dark somehow.

She and Siam easily found their way to her car, and EJ unlocked it.

_I have no idea what that is,_ Siam thought, eying the white Lancer, which was classed as a sports car and its insurance is lots and lots. _But EJ definitely does, so that's okay._

EJ had hastily introduced herself to the Black Cats, and they had all seemed to take a liking to her.

"Well, this is where I leave you." Siam said. "And, if those Straw Hats give you any trouble..."

"They won't." EJ assured him, feeling very flattered though, secretly however.

"Well, if they do, just call me(ow), Siam Meowban." Siam told her.

"Whatever." She grinned, and then unstrapped the sword from her back, placing it gently in the back seat. "Thanks, by the way...for drawing the blood."

"May I ask...why?"

"It's simple," EJ replied. "It wouldn't be a proper toll sacrifice if _I'd_ done the drawing." She suddenly surprised him (not to mention herself) by giving him a hug. She didn't know why she did it, she was just so glad to have the sword, for some reason she felt like she was partially whole now (?), and Siam had helped.

Siam purred, just like a cat, and EJ giggled, before climbing into her car and Siam, taking the hint, left without a further word, although his eyes were gleaming.

OoO

As EJ drove to the end of the road, she noticed, in the car's headlights, something fluttering in the breeze from a lamp-post.

She stopped, put the car in park and the handbrake on, and quickly retrieved what it was.

"That's a relief," She said tiredly, as she returned to her car with Zolo's bandana. "Zolo and Sanji got here okay..."

OoO

EJ walked in the front door of her house, and heard Jed on the phone to somebody. Kylie was probably on the internet, and EJ didn't know where their little sister, Nicole, was. She didn't care. Carrying the weightless Blood Sword in her hand, she trudged wearily upstairs, very tired suddenly after her drive home. The song she had listened to, Darkness by Disturbed, hadn't really helped, it had almost put her to sleep and she'd been too tired to change to something like Rise or Liberate.

EJ hadn't eaten all day, but she was too tired to care.

Upstairs, she heard voices, and paused oustide her closed bedroom door.

"If EJ's been kidnapped by Black Cat Pirates," EJ heard Nami say. "Then what are we waiting around here for?"

"Yeah," Usopp agreed. "I mean, if _Kuro's_ got her, then he could be planning to kill her!"

"Those Black Cat Pirates are nothing but trouble." Luffy added.

EJ sighed, and opened her door. "No, they're not." She said, coming tiredly into the room and dragging the Blood Sword with her.

The Straw Hat Pirates stared at her in shock. Kyo hopped off her bed and went over to her, sniffing carefully at the crimson blade and not jumping when she just let it fall to the ground.

EJ said: "Zolo, your bandana's in the wash." She was changing into her nightgown as she said this, not even worrying about being seen (she had her back to them all, though). "Luffy, we're out of bacon so Jed's ordering some Margaret River free range chickens for tomorrow. Sanji, try to stop riding on trains for free. Nami, I'm counting on you to keep these guys quiet whilst I sleep. And Usopp..."

"Wait, what do you mean Black Cat Pirates aren't all that bad?" Usopp interrupted her, a little bit angrily but mostly in confusion.

"Just as I said," EJ yawned, climbing into bed in exhaustion. "They're actually...really...quite nice...especially those Meowband Brothers..." She fell asleep at these words, leaving the five Straw Hat Pirates shocked.


	9. Dipping Cheese

CHAPTER NINE

Dipping Cheese

The first thing EJ heard when she woke up the next morning was Usopp saying: "I really did stay up all night long!"

"Yeah right," EJ heard Zolo's voice. "And I'm the Tooth Fairy."

Under her covers, EJ grinned like the Cheshire Cat (most everyone's mad here).

"I want some meat!" Luffy cried impatiently.

"Ssh!" Nami hissed. "We have to wait for EJ to wake up first! We can't leave this room until she does!"

"But I'm hungry _now_!" EJ pictured Luffy wearing an unhappy pout.

"You have to learn to patient," Sanji told Luffy. "Especially in the presence of such lovely ladies like Nami-San and EJ-Chan!"

"Luffy, _now_ what are you doing?" Zolo asked him.

"This is…OWWWW!!!!!!" Luffy practically screamed.

"SSH!" Hissed about three people.

"BUT THE RED SWORD _CUT_ ME!!!!" Luffy howled.

EJ woke up pretty fast hearing that.

She threw back the covers to see the Straw Hats crowded around their captain, whose hand was lacerated quite cleanly.

"All I did was touch it!" Luffy complained.

"Why would the sword hurt you for that?" Nami wondered.

They all glanced over to EJ's bed, where she was sitting staring at them.

"Ohayoo." She said.

"She's awake!" Sanji cried, hurrying over to her as climbed out of bed, feeling groggy from sleeping in clothes. "EJ-Chan, are you alright!?"

"Yes, I'm fine." EJ replied. To Luffy she added: "L-Luffy…that sword…used to be grey…black, almost."

"Black?" Zolo repeated.

EJ nodded. "Mmhm. As black as Mihawk's black sword. It was…coloured crimson by…my blood, and nobody else can wield it."

There was a silence, as the crew digested this piece of information.

"Well," Luffy said after awhile. "I wouldn't need a sword anyway," He pulled at the side of his mouth, making it stretch. "Since I can do THIS!!"

The rest of the crew laughed, although Usopp was still regarding EJ carefully.

EJ knew he was probably still curious as to why she had defended the Black Cat Pirates last night.

Well, she wasn't going to tell them about her encounter with the evil genius Kuro just yet!

Instead, Sanji and Zolo told her about their encounter with Arlong.

EJ was emotionally upset. "I…I don't believe it…" She muttered. _So many people died because of me!_

Sure enough, upon turning on her TV, EJ found news report after news report about what happened.

Tears gathered in her eyes, but she hastily brushed them away. What would the Black Cats say if they saw her crying!?

That was when Jed walked in unannounced, carrying Kyo in his arms (Jed and EJ are the exception to Kyo's hate everybody attitude).

The Straw Hat Crew stared in dismay at EJ's Kuro-like butler.

OoO

For what seemed like the longest moment, Jed just stood there, as Kyo jumped out of his arms and bounded over to his mistress, who cuddled him for support. His purring reminded her of Siam, and her face started to turn pink.

Finally, Jed said: "Good morning. I am Miss. Emma-Jane's butler, Jed. Luffy, Sanji, Zolo, Usopp and Miss. Nami," (Jed's always polite with the ladies). "Please make yourselves at home oh, and Miss. Emma-Jane?"

She looked up.

"We are having turkey and bread with dipping cheese for dinner tonight." Jed nodded to her, and then left the room.

EJ's eyes were shining. "That, my friends, is one reason why Jed's such a great guy!" _He's not very much like Captain Kuro then, is he?_ She stood up. "Excuse me a moment…"

OoO

Down in the kitchen, EJ asked Jed how he knew who her friends were.

"Miss. Emma-Jane," Jed smiled at her. "You have been watching that anime and reading that manga since before I came to work here. I would know them anywhere by now."

"Oh," EJ said, still holding Kyo to her chest, his tail swishing. "But…they're from a different world, Jed doesn't that bother you?"

"No." Jed replied. "Should it?"

EJ shook her head. "No, I guess not. Oh, but don't tell Mum and Dad, and Kylie and Nicole, okay?"

He nodded. "It will be our secret." He promised her.

OoO

That night, EJ had to laugh when she saw Luffy, Zolo, Sanji and Usopp. Jed had outfitted them appropriately, in suits and ties. The suits were all black and they all wore white shirts. Luffy's tie was red, Zolo's was green, Sanji's was blue and Usopp's was grey.

Luffy still wore his straw hat, and Zolo had fished his bandanna out of the wash. It was tied around his left arm, as usual.

EJ and Nami were dressed up too. EJ had explained that you _always_ got dressed up for turkey, bread and dipping cheese night. Nami was wearing a blue and silver cheongsam-styled dress. EJ was wearing a cheongsam-styled dress too, except hers was red and gold.

"NAMI-SAN!!" Sanji just about had a heart attack. "AND EJ-CHAN, YOU LOOK WONDERFUL!!"

"Jeez, don't we _always_ look wonderful?" Nami winked at EJ, who grinned back.

Everyone sat down and, as the meal was served, Zolo asked: "Hey EJ, where are your sisters?"

"Kylie's probably at her friend's house," EJ replied, eyeing the bottle of pink wine Jed had just brought out. Zolo was eyeing it too. "And Nicole's got dance rehearsal or something."

Jed brought out the turkey, and the break and dipping cheese. "Perhaps you should tell them now?" He suggested to EJ.

EJ nodded, and her new friends looked curious.

"See, we have this rule," EJ said calmly. "That if your bread falls off into the cheese whilst you're dipping it, then…you have to kiss the person sitting on your right!"

They were sitting in the dining room, and you've never seen a bunch of pirates look more horrified.

OoO

Diner proceeded without any further delays, after Luffy spilt his glass of water (just about everyone had agreed that Luffy shouldn't drink – Zolo, and the other hand, couldn't be kept away from the stuff).

EJ was thinking, as she watched Kyo wander in, and then out, and wondered how she'd tell her friends they were from an anime and that her sword had been given to her by Captain Kuro, when IT happened.

IT, of course, was the falling off of EJ's bread from her fork and into the dipping cheese.

Guess who was sitting on her right…


	10. EJ's Kiss

CHAPTER TEN

EJ's Kiss

In another part of Perth, Arlong was stewing. He had just found out, from the Prophet Setsuna, that the Princess, the _p-human Princess_, was STILL ALIVE!! He hadn't killed her after all.

Still, Arlong felt for sure that his efforts had not been wasted. After all, he's just been warming up for the main course of killing that lousy p-human Princess.

"No p-human should deserve to wield such power." Arlong reminded his crew, who nodded as they relaxed along the banks of an unused part of the Swan River.

OoO

In the abandoned warehouse, Siam was sitting on its rooftop, staring out at the city at night.

Django happened to wander past, and looked up towards the stars, seeing the green-haired Meowban brother staring in a dream-like state at something Django couldn't see.

"Ah, Siam!?" Django called to him.

Siam didn't answer. He just sighed.

"Siam!?" Django was annoyed at being ignored.

Siam didn't reply. He just sighed again.

Django angrily threw one of his chakrams at Siam. It clipped his left shoulder, and made him fall off the roof.

Naturally, he landed on his feet, but this was enough to jolt him back to reality.

What he said to Django, however, was: "When do you think Captain Kuro's going to want to see EJ again?"

"Huh?" Django stared at Siam through his love-heart-shaped glasses. He caught the expression on the Meowban's face. _Don't you mean when YOU want to see her again? You don't fool me, lad…_

OoO

(Okay, I've been putting this off long enough…)

EJ had hoped that nobody would notice but, of course, EVERYONE noticed.

"Wow, and I thought _I'd_ be the first one to do it!" Luffy laughed.

Sanji, who had been looking upset, turned to glare at Luffy. "Which do you mean!?" He asked angrily.

Luffy looked confused. "Have to kiss the person on my right which is…" He looked around. "Hmm, nobody…"

Usopp said to Jed: "Is this allowed?"

Jed shrugged. "It's the rules." He replied.

Zolo, meanwhile, was looking mildly pissed off.

EJ glanced to her right, at Nami, who glanced to her left, at EJ. Without a word EJ leaned over, and fluttered her eyelashes against Nami's closed eyelids.

"Butterfly kiss!" EJ chirped.

Sanji looked relieved, and the meal continued.

"Psst," Nami whispered to EJ. "You're not gay, are you?"

"No," EJ whispered back. "Are you?"

Nami glanced over at Sanji, briefly, but EJ didn't miss it. "No, I'm not." Nmai replied.

EJ smiled at her. "Good." She replied, and avoided the dipping cheese for the rest of the meal.

OoO

**MEG: Ha ha ha! You proly thought it would be one of the guys! Tough luck, minna!**

**ZOLO: Why was I looking 'mildly pissed off'?**

**MEG: You tell me.**

**ZOLO: I dunno.**

**MEG: Proly cuz you were drunk.**

**ZOLO: **_**You take that back!**_

**MEG: Apparently he still is…**


	11. Midnight, Crescent Moon

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Midnight, Crescent Moon

EJ couldn't sleep. She was haunted by visions of her past as she tossed and turned in bed. Kyo, worriedly, watched her, unable to do anything but be there in body and in spirit.

_Flashback-_

"_MUMMY!!" A little girl screamed, flinging herself on the dead body of her Mother, who had aged hundreds of years in the short battle that had taken place. "DADDY!!" She screamed a moment later, as her Father suffered the same fate also. Angrily, the young girl faced the creature before her. "YOU MONSTER!!" She screamed through her tears, picking up the blood red sword even though it was probably bigger then what she was. She leapt at the demon who had dared to destroy her whole family this way, but before she could the creature ripped open a hole in the space continuum and the young girl fell through it. Her sword was lost, turning black-stone grey as it realised that its mistress was gone._

_End of flashback-_

EJ awoke with a start, covered in cold sweat but feeling quite alert and awake all of a sudden. She needed to get out of bed, and do something. Something constructive. Like taking a walk.

Yeah, right, with lunatic pirates on the loose in Perth City?

EJ didn't think about that, as she changed her clothes quietly so as not to awake the Straw Hat Crew. She put on white three-quarter-length pants with a butterfly pendant, an anime top from Bali, and a red hoodie with a fox plushie keyring on it. She strapped her Blood Sword to her back, unwilling to leave it behind. (It CALLS to her…)

EJ pulled the hood up on her jacket, and she and Kyo silently left the room.

Not silently enough, though.

Somebody heard them and decided to follow behind.

It was strange, really, since this person HATES to be woken up (maybe all swordsman are alike in that sense…)

OoO

Outside, EJ tread the familiar path that she knew, the path she had walked so many nights alone or with Kyo (what is she THINKING!? Forget the phsyco pirates! What about snakes, and bandicoots and people selling things!?)

Unbeknownst to both girl and her cat, Zolo followed along behind at a steady pace. He hadn't wanted to admit it, but he didn't like letting the girl out of his sight for more then a minute. Today, she had gone down the shops without telling anyone, and Zolo nearly had a heart-attack!

He was about to have one again, when she suddenly disappeared from sight.

Zolo froze, as the moon hid behind a cloud, and Zolo could swear he could hear every single evil whispering and thought ever uttered.

Then, quite suddenly, EJ's voice called to him from above. "Well, are you coming up or not fellow swordsman?"

Zolo looked up, and gasped. A massive and ancient-looking tree of unknown origin branched high into the sky, and EJ was stealthily scaling the trunk, and waiting for Zolo to join her at the same time.

Making a decision, Zolo followed EJ into the night sky.

OoO

"You're not scared of heights, are you?" EJ asked Zolo, as they sat together side-by-side on the top-most branch of the tree.

Zolo shook his head. "Of course not."

"Good." EJ said, leaning back as far as she dared, as Kyo stalked a bird's nest. "Neither are Kyo and I…"

Kyo found out that vultures lived in the nest.

"He should be scared of that." Zolo pointed out, as Kyo ran and hid behind EJ. "Don't hide behind a girl you little pansy ass!" He told the cat.

EJ ignored this and said: "Those vultures are a long way from home…I can sense their discomfort, they're not supposed to be here…"

Zolo didn't understand what this meant but, since she didn't go on, he didn't ask questions.

For awhile, the three just sat there, staring at the sky until Kyo presently fell asleep.

EJ and Zolo continued to stare at the twinkling stars, and the smiley face moon (you know, the sliver of a crescent?). The comfortable night breeze ruffled about them, pulling down EJ's hood so that her hair swayed gently around her face.

Zolo watched her out of the corner of his eye. _Why do I feel so strange when I'm around her?_ He wondered. _I've known her, what?...two days maybe, and already she's making me act strange._

Zolo thought about things. How he'd laugh when EJ laughed, or feel like comforting her when she cried, or he's worry immensely when she wasn't around (like when she'd gone to IGA for a carton of milk). Zolo didn't understand these feelings yet, but he didn't dwell on them, as EJ began to speak.

"My parents are coming home tomorrow." She said, swinging her legs against the branch. "Well, they're not my _real_ parents…" She added, and broke off, twisting the two earrings she wore in her left ear (which mirrored the ones she wore in her right ear) and then reaching under her jacket for something. She pulled out a necklace, and on it was a small heart-shaped locket. She opened the locket up, and said: "These were my _real_ parents."

In the moonlight, Zolo could see a picture of a dark-red-haired woman with green eyes, and a man who looked like…no, it couldn't be. His old Sensei's hair was raven-coloured, and this man had dark brown hair. Still, the resemblance unnerved Zolo, as EJ returned her locket to under her jumper. Thank God EJ didn't look like Kuina, otherwise Zolo would have gone running the moment he saw her!

"I know what you're thinking," EJ said, and Zolo blushed slightly. He hoped she _didn't_ know what he was thinking, but with EJ you never knew… "That my Dad looks like your old Sensei…" Oh, _that_.

EJ seemed to trail off just then, she returned to staring at the sliver of moon. Zolo watched her for some time, and then she said: "You know the Princess Arlong was trying to kill?"

Zolo nodded.

"Well, Captain Kuro told me…" EJ gulped, hoping she was doing the right thing. "That 'a beautiful princess from another world will wield the crimson blade and have unimaginable power'…"

Zolo's eyes opened wide as he put two and two together. He eyed the Blood Sword on her back, which was shaped fittingly like a cross, and said: "You mean…_you're_ the…"

EJ nodded, tears forming in her lovely hazel eyes. "Yes, Zolo, _I'm_ the reason Arlong killed so many people!" She sniffed, and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "Captain Kuro gave me this sword. The reason its blood red is because I made Siam Meowban draw blood from my arm to offer up as a sacrifice. It's _proof_ that I'm the Princess, and…" She told him about her dream.

Zolo couldn't believe all of this. A Princess who wielded a deadly red blade that resembled Mihawk's own black sword? A Father who resembled Kuina's Father? A shaky alliance with the Black Cat Pirates and their psychotic captain?

"Why are you telling me all of this?" Zolo asked her finally.

She turned to him, and stared straight into his eyes. Zolo saw hidden pain, fears, anger, sadness but, above all, he saw something else. Something he wasn't used to getting from Outsiders (non-nakama). "Because I trust you."


	12. Homecoming

CHAPTER TWELVE

Homecoming

**MEG: Apparently, homecoming is something in America, some dance or something, but that's NOT what this is (we're in Australia, minna!)**

OoO

When Zolo awoke the next morning, his first thoughts were: _Where the hell am I!?_ His seconds thoughts were: _Why does this place feel so comfy?_

He opened his eyes and sat up. He was sitting in a bed, in a room he hadn't seen before. His swords were lying on the window-seat nearby, and Zolo retrieved them. He walked out of the room and found himself in a hallway.

_Maybe this is the first floor of the house._ Zolo decided to go and search out his nakama - all _five_ of them.

After what had happened last night, Zolo has realised how much _he_ trusted EJ too, even though she had probably given them all every reason NOT to trust her. It was just a gut-feeling he had.

"Ohayoo!" A voice suddenly said, and Nami came out of the room next to Zolo's. They were in a long hallway, and presently, Sanji joined them from the room across the hall.

"This house really _is_ huge." Zolo murmured.

"Nami-San!!" Sanji greeted her.

Nami smiled. She had grown accustomed to Sanji, who had _always_ been accustomed to her (I've grown accustomed to your face).

"Where are Luffy and Usopp?" Zolo wanted to know, as they walked along the hallway.

"If I had to make a wild guess," Nami said dryly. "Then I'd say that Luffy is somewhere where there's food, and Usopp is probably with him, telling some _tall_ tale - again."

Sanji and Zolo grinned, as they wandered into the main hall of the house.

"When EJ got back from wherever she went last night," Nami said pointedly. "Carrying _you_ back with her..."

_Damn! I fell asleep! Luckily I didn't fall out of that tree!_ Zolo wondered how EJ was so strong. He narrowed his eyes. Was the Blood Sword adding to her power?

Nami notice dhis frown, and said hurriedly: "She and Jed decided that we should each have our own rooms for the time. Nobody ever uses this part of the house anyway (the snobs)." She added under her breath.

Sanji blinked.

"Not EJ, of course." Nami added quickly, and Sanji nodded, although smiling at her.

Movements at the top of the stairs made them all flinch.

_Nicole?_ Wondered Sanji.

_Kylie?_ Wondered Nami.

Zolo looked.

EJ had just tripped, at the top of the stairs, and was falling down them. Zolo's face took on a look of absolute horror, as memories of a childhood so long ago flashed through his mind. That was why he charged halfway up the stairs and caught EJ before she could fall any further, catching her around the waist and halting her movements. She was swung around to face him, and her chest was heaving heavily from the fear of it all.

"Z-Zolo..." She said, still standing there.

Zolo was so relieved. If he couldn't have prevented it before, then he prevented it from happening again.

Usopp appeared at the top of the stairs, carrying a pair of ballet slippers. "Whose are these?" He asked.

"N-Nicole's." EJ told them. "Sh-she often leaves them there...for me to...trip on..."

Zolo was angry. "How could she do that to you!?" He exclaimed.

"She doesn't do it on purpose." EJ _said_, but her _eyes_ told a different story.

"You could've been killed." Zolo muttered.

EJ looked at him. "But I _wasn't_." She said.

Luffy suddenly appeared at the top of the stairs. "Yahoo!!" He cried, as he slid down the banister. At the bottom of the stairs, Kyo was waiting for him, and as Luffy jumped off the banister, Kyo got himself underfoot, causing Luffy to fall flat on his face.

EJ started laughing first, followed by Zolo, and then the rest of the Straw Hat Crew began laughing as well - even Luffy.

OoO

"LUFFY!!" EJ cried.

Luffy had been sent upstairs for a time-out for stealing other people's breakfasts at the table that morning (Nicole and Kylie had gone to Maccas for breakfast - did they invite EJ to go with? Noooo...). He had returned with lacerations on his other hand (the other one was bandaged up). "Didn't you learn from yesterday!?" Nami scolded him, as Jed rushed up with bandages.

"Aurgh," EJ found herself thinking of the Black Cat Pirate Crew. _Now why am I thinking about them?_ She glanced at Kyo, whose red eyes seemed to tell her what she already knew. "Could this get any worse?"

Nicole and Kylie's voices could suddenly be heard (when did they get back?): "Mother and Father are home!!"

EJ and Jed exchanged startled glances, and then EJ began with the ushering. "Quick, upstairs, to my room, everyone and for God's sake _keep your voices down_!"

"Zolo," A bandaged-up Luffy said, going over to Zolo who had fallen asleep in his chair. "Zolo, time to go-lo!"

EJ didn't even grin, and just braced herself to face the music that was her parents homecoming...

OoO

EJ's foster parents were very different from the parents she had shown Zolo in her locket. Zolo, watching from the top of the stairs as servents carried in the luggage from the car, and Nicole and Kylie walked in with their parents, to meet EJ, who was standing next to Jed underneath the front hall's chandelliere.

EJ put on a brave face that Zolo couldn't see, and stepped forward tentatively to greet her "parents".

"Mum, Dad, how was your trip?" EJ asked them, hugging them both briefly.

EJ's Dad (we'll just say that for now) was a large beefy man with serious black eyes and he wore a suit. He said: "Very well thankyou, Emma-Jane."

Behind Zolo, Luffy stiffled a laugh. It was so weird to hear anyone but Jed called EJ bu her full name.

EJ's Mum (not her real one, again, but let's just say...) was a tall thin blonde woman with wavy hair and a pointed face. She wore too much make-up, and the most expensive dress anyone had ever seen. "Emma-Jane, here, help me with these bags." She started towards the stairs.

"They're coming upstairs!" Luffy hissed, but he was the only one standing there. "Hey, wait for me!" He cried, hurrying into EJ's room.

OoO

Back on the first floor, the family went into the living room. Jed stationed himself at the door, awaiting any instructions (he was EJ's butler, but he took orders from the rest of the family too, Nicole and Kylie had their own servents, _maids_ in fact, but you never saw them).

"Kylie dear," Her Mother handed her a package. "This is for you."

"Thanks Mother!" Kylie said enthusiastically, holding up the designer dress that cost three hundred and fifty two dollars. There were matching shoes as well, just as expensive.

"And Nicole, honey, for you." The Mother went on, and Nicole happily unwrapped a brand new leotard and leg warmers. Nicole was a dedicted ballerina, but she really only danced for the applause, and the pretty clothes. Nicole was eleven years old, by the way.

EJ sat in her chair, fidgeting. She wanted to get upstairs, to her friends, and then maybe they could leave the house and go somewhere fun.

Like Africa. Far enough away from this family. Maybe Jed could come too. The lions there would be interesting, each pride was like a big cat nakama.

"Emma-Jane, pay attention!" Her Mother's sharp voice raptured her thoughts, and she turned to find a small shopping bag being placed into her hands. "You're so hard to buy for," The woman, Katie, went on, as if it were EJ's fault. "So this is what we got you." She finished, as EJ unwrapped a make-up kit.

EJ tried to hide her grimace. She didn't often wear make-up. Only on four recent occasions (the year ten dance, the year eleven river cruise, the year twelve ball and the year twelve graduation) had she worn any make-up at all. Her parents knew this only too well.

"You have to start growing up, Emma-Jane." Her Mother said. She was smiling, but it didn't reach her eyes.

Kyo suddenly wandered into the room.

"Emma-Jane!" Her Father, Nathan, thundered, standing up suddenly and EJ realised that she'd finally made a big mistake.

She had forgotten to put Kyo outside.

Jed's expression told her that he realised it too, but that he was blaming himself.

There was no time to lay blame, as her Father was advancing on Kyo, who was frozen to the spot, but hissing softly. "I told you that blasted fleabitten animal is to stay OUTSIDE!!" He yelled, and drew back his leg to kick Kyo.

"KYO!!" EJ shouted, and darted over to him. She scooped the black cat into her arms, and then felt the kick on her shoulder as she hunched down, holding onto Kyo for all it was worth.

Nathan's face was red with anger, as he grabbed EJ's arm and dragged her up. She was still holding onto Kyo, as Nathan slapped her hard across the face (has anyone seen _Only Yesterday_? The girl's Father slaps her for going out of the house without shoes on, holding onto the front of her top and slapping her hard across the face).

"Nathan, please." Katie said quietly, as Nathan let EJ and Kyo fall back to the floor. Katie glanced quickly at Jed, whose face showed no expression but his eyes were flashing.

EJ crouched there on the floor, her shoulder stinging and her face too, her face had a large red hand mark on it. This wasn't the first time this had happened, and EJ was used to it. She hoped her friends upstairs had _stayed_ upstairs, and not seen...

There was a tremendous crash from upstairs, and EJ's trained ears distinctly heard Luffy's voice.

"Must be one of the maids." Kylie said immediately. There was a particular maid she was trying to get fired, a Conswalo-somebody.

Katie stood up. "Well, I'll just..."

"No, Ma'am." Jed said, a little too quickly, but only EJ picked up on it. "Please, let me." He turned and hurried out of the room.

EJ felt eyes on her, and looked to see Nathan glaring at her. "Emma-Jane, take that bloody cat outside, before I find my axe!"

EJ bolted from the room and, only when she was outside, did she let herself sob.

OoO

Upstairs, Jed found the commotion in the hallway. Nami, Sanji and Usopp were all holding onto Luffy, who was struggling. Up close, Jed could hear Luffy was exclaiming: "He kicked her and slapped her!! Lemme go!! I'm going down there!!" The crash they'd heard was Luffy knocking over a small wooden table in the hall, and disconnecting the phone that was sitting on it.

"No, you are not." Jed adjusted his glasses. "Luffy, you will only cause problems if you do. Please, Miss. Emma-Jane will be fine."

"You," Zolo was leaning against a wall, and he glared at Jed. "Had better be sure."

"I hope so too." Was all Jed replied.

OoO

Dinner that night was tense, at last on EJ's behalf. She was forced to eat the roast with her family, actually, she had been forced to stay with her family all day, and hadn't seen her friends all day.

Kyo was outside, and none too happy about it, until he discovered the rats in the old shed out back. EJ missed him though. She didn't dare sneak him back into the house though, for fear of Nathan's promise.

When everyone was done eating, and the last of the plates had been cleared away, EJ wanted to excuse herself.

"Hold on," Katie put up her hand. "Emma-Jane, Jessica," (Jessica was Katie's own personal secretary who stayed at home). "Tells me you didn't attend TAFE yesterday."

EJ knew her parents had been in France, where it was almost impossible to get news from Perth (even something as big as an unexplained massacre - heh, fish-person goes p-human hunting

:( ...), and so she had to tell them what she'd heard on the news.

Were her parents concerned that she may have been involved as well? Were they worried about her at all?

No.

"I hope we get our money back." Katie said.

_Please,_ EJ thought, playing with the fray on the white table clothe in the same dining room she had eaten in the night before, a much friendlier meal. _You don't need anymore money. You're already loaded._

"Still, you'll be expected to go to another TAFE, I'm sure." Nathan said, looking sternly at EJ.

She knew what that meant. "Yes, I will, if that arises." She promised, standing up to excuse herself.

"Too right you will, young lady!" Nathan still hadn't forgotten about the episode with Kyo. "We bring you into this house and give you food, shelter and an education, and we let you keep that filthy cat, _free of charge_, so the least you can do is be grateful!"

EJ knew they only kept her because it made them look good in society, _and_ they got more money from the government (although now, at eighteen, EJ was entitled to most of it, and at age twenty-one she knew she'd be packing her bags when the money stopped coming in). It made her hate this family even more. Jed had arrived just after she had been picked up by this family, and he was more like a parent to her then anyone else! Why couldn't _he_ be her Father?

"May I go now?" EJ asked, hoping not to drag this on any longer.

To her relief, Katie said: "You may."

EJ bolted upstairs.

The reunion with her parents couldn't have gone any worse, as far as she was concerned, and no more bad things could _possibly_ happen that evening.

"Hey!!" Luffy's voice cried from her bedroom. "I'm on TV!!"

Except that.


	13. Zolo's Promise

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Zolo's Promise

EJ spent the rest of the evening explaining, and re-explaining, for Luffy's benefit. At least her posters and Luffy doll could be retrieved.

Luffy was happy after he'd recieved an explanation, and settled down to play One Piece Grand Battle (2). Nami was pleased because the posters had captured her good side (in anime).

Sanji was happy because now EJ (Chan) knew all about him. Usopp was glad because the posters made his anime-self look H-O-T (in his opinion).

Zolo was silent, and remained silent all evening. His face showed no emtion and, despite her injuries, EJ was more worried about him.

Jed came up a few hours later, and checked EJ's face and shoulder. Each was turning a nasty shade of purple - when Nathan kicked/slapped, he did some serious damage.

Finally, Zolo spoke: "Where's Kyo?"

EJ told him, and Zolo said: "I'm going to go and keep him company."

EJ watched as he left, and then she noticed that the Blood Sword was glowing from its place on her bed.

Sanji noticed it too (the others were far too engrossed in the video game). "Why's it doing that, EJ-Chan?"

"I don't know." EJ replied. She picked up the sword, and at once she knew. "Wait, yes I do." Suddenly, the realisation of what that meant hit her. "Oh no, Zolo!" She cried, and bolted out of the room, carrying Blood Sword with her.

OoO

"Who's there?" Zolo asked. He was sitting on a chair in the dark backyard, with Kyo in his lap, and up until a minute ago he'd been scratching the black cat's ears thoughtfully. Now, he stood up, and he and Kyo looked around for the source of the sense Zolo got that he was not alone.

Something shifted in the trees above, and a figure dropped to the ground a few feet away.

Kyo's hisses immediately turned to a calm meow. Probably he sensed that this person held no threat to himself or his mistress.

Zolo, however, was a different story.

"You," Zolo growled, unsheathing his swords and arming himself for battle. "I thought I had killed you! Did you kidnap EJ the other day?"

"Maybe," Siam said mockingly, as if Zolo didn't even deserve to know. "Although why would you care?"

"Ignorant cat," Zolo said angrily. "What has your captain got planned for EJ!?"

"That I do not know," Siam said, eyeing Zolo's swords. "However, he _did_ bestow upon her the sword she now wields, and I helped her to colour it."

"Yeah, I know." Zolo said, feeling strangely jealous. "But, you didn't come here just to tell me that! So, why _are_ you here?"

"I just wanted to check to see how our little Princess is doing." Siam said casually. Actually, he had been sent by Captain Kuro to _assess_ how EJ was doing, but Zolo wasn't to know that just yet.

"Why do you care?" Zolo echoed the Meowban's words, and Siam's grin faded.

"You enjoy mocking those you 'defeated', don't you sword-boy?"

Actually, that couldn't be further from the truth but, before Zolo could reply, Siam pounced. Zolo was caught completely off guard, especially when Siam repeated his actions from their other battle, and stole his swords.

"Damn you!" Zolo cursed, still holding onto his one white sword. "You don't fight fair, you bloody cat!"

Kyo hissed indignantly.

"I learned from our last battle it's best to disable your foe's assault power!" Siam told him, and tossed the swords aside, leaping at Zolo's throat again.

_Damn! Oh well, I beat him once before, and I can do it again! I don't know what happened between the Black Cats and EJ, but it stops, right now!_ Zolo prepared himself for battle, but _wasn't_ prepared for Siam's changed of direction.

"What!?" Zolo cried. "Where'd he go!?"

Hands suddenly clamped down hard around his neck, and dug in from behind. "Guess who sword-boy!" Siam cried, and they fell to the ground, a tangle of striking claws and one deflecting blade.

EJ, meanwhile, was standing transfixed to the spot where she had emerged from the darkness into the moonlight-lit area. She had caught Zolo's swords in one hand, and was holding Blood Sword in the other. Kyo rushed up to her, and climbed up onto her shoulder (the non-hurt one).

She noticed the sheaths of Zolo's swords on the ground, and then the blood that was falling from both the swordsman and the cat-like pirate.

Fear and panic gripped her heart, and the Blood Sword glowed even brighter. To her, it seemed to be saying: Intervene! Slash that swordsman in two!

_I can't do that!_ EJ thought in a panic. _Zolo's my friend!_

He's no friend of yours if he kills that other guy!The sword told her.

_Why?_

Think about it, Blood Sword sounded impatient. Without that cat-like pirate's claws, you wouldn't have been able to reawken me. In a way, he, you and I are all connected.

_I never thought of it this way..._ EJ thought. _B-but I can't! Zolo's my friend, we're nakama almost! I can't kill him, Luffy and the others would never forgive me!_

The sword seemed to sigh. Well do _something_!

EJ did. She whispered to Kyo, who leapt off of her shoulder, and rushed up to the two fighting pirates.

_Gotta get their attention first, without yelling because then other people might hear me._ EJ thought, with a smile, as she watched Kyo latch onto Zolo's left arm, causing him to howl in distress. Kyo let go and pounced on Siam, scratching him across the face as Zolo held his arm in agony (Kyo's teeth are very, very sharp and besides, Zolo was wondering why the cat had attacked both of them).

The two pirates finally spotted EJ, who was calmly returning Zolo's swords to their sheaths, all the while holding the glowing Blood Sword.

"You two should have leashes or something," EJ said calmly. "You're worse then the accident-prone Luffy." She added, handing Zolo's swords to him. Kyo let Siam get up, and the two green-haired pirates continued to glare at each other, although they didn't dare start fighting again.

EJ might've killed them.

"EJ," Siam said, noticing her injuries. "What happened?"

To anyone else, EJ _might_ have been inclined to say 'I tripped' or something, but to Siam it was a different story, and she briefly explained what had happened, and then grabbed onto Siam's arm as he attempted to reach the house and kill Nathan.

Zolo meanwhile, was watching EJ and Siam carefully. She was as natural-acting and friendly around Siam as she was with Zolo. Zolo watched as Siam calmed down, and then EJ reached up and carefully wiped the blood away from Siam's face, where Kyo had scratched him.

"Does it hurt?" She asked him, as Kyo purred on EJ's shoulder.

"No." Siam lied. He actually felt a lot better with EJ wiping the blood away from his face, but he wasn't going to tell her that.

Then, EJ reached up, and poked the cat ear headband that Siam wore. Siam gave her a puzzled look. EJ giggled. "I've wanted to do that for ages now."

Siam grinned, and EJ smiled back at him.

Zolo felt his blood boil over this exchange. How could EJ be this natural-acting with somebody she knew _less_ then she knew, say...Zolo? Could it be that EJ trusted Siam as much as she trusted Zolo? How could _anybody_ trust a Black Cat Pirate?

The Blood Sword was still glowing a little bit, and seeing it made Zolo relaxed. Yeah, the sword's colouring, that must be it. Nothing else. Wait, why should Zolo care? He didn't know.

"Can we get on with the program here," Zolo asked testily. "Or are we doomed to just stand around all night talking about _ears_?"

"Oh, sorry." EJ said, turning away from Siam and looking at Zolo. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." He replied awkwardly, as he sheathed his final sword. "Sorry, I made you worry."

"I was more worried about the state of the backyard!" EJ snapped, indicating to the splatters of blood everywhere, and the blood dampening all of their clothes now. "It looks like a murder scene!"

"It so nearly was." Zolo said, glaring at Siam, who glared back.

EJ groaned, and that's when they saw it. A shooting star, trailing blue across the sky, a rare sight in the southern hemisphere (really, I've only seen one).

"Oh no!" EJ suddenly cried.

"What!!??" Siam and Zolo cried in unison.

"Whenever I see a falling star, I have to sing the chorus of a song, before I can make a wish!" EJ explained. "It's something Jed and I do all the time." She furrowed her brow, and then said: "Oh, I haven't sung _this_ song yet!" And she began to sing: "_I promise, I won't let you down, if you take my hand tonight! I promise, we'll be just fine, this time, if you take my hand tonight!_" She smiled, and then closed her eyes. A few moments later, she opened them, as the star disappeared, and she said: "There, I made my wish."

"What was it?" Zolo asked her.

"I can't tell you, or else it won't come true." EJ replied. To herself she thought: _I wished that I could be worthy to wield the Blood Sword..._

Unbeknownst to her, Zolo made a wish as well (Siam's mind was miles away by that time).

Zolo's wish was more like a promise. He would help EJ in any way that he could.

Always.

OoO

**MEG: That song, Promise, by Simple Plan, I don't own.**


	14. Crossing Blades With Mihawk

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Crossing Blades With Mihawk

Zolo and EJ hadn't mentioned Siam's little visit that night. Since no one asked them about it, and Zolo hid his cuts, it wasn't really lying. More like lying by omission.

Siam had left with a few words to EJ, including the statement: "You look as cute by the moonlight as you did by the sun." Which made Zolo's blood curdle.

"My parents are taking Nicole to her dance practice today." EJ said on Saturday. "And Kylie's going to the movies with her friends, so it's just us today. Wanna watch a movie?"

"A what?" Luffy asked her, pausing about two seconds in his eating of the Margaret River free range chicken.

EJ explained it to them, and then they all wanted to watch a movie. She had rented one out the other day when she'd gone to IGA, and stopped at the video store, and rented out a sort of kid's movie (oh okay, it _was_) called _Pokemon, Jirachi Wishmaker_.

Everyone watched it though, and they made popcorn and ate it in front of the TV. They sat on the longest couch in history in this order: Luffy, Usopp, Sanji, Nami, EJ and Zolo. EJ and Nami had grown very close, almost like sisters - better sisters then Kylie and Nicole had _ever_ been.

Kyo had been sneaked back in, and was enjoying the movie with his favourite tuna fish treats.

"Okay," Luffy said when the movie was over. "Now..."

"I know," EJ interrupted him. "You think you and Ash are a lot alike?"

"Well, yeah," Luffy agreed. "But that's not it. EJ, I want you to sing!"

EJ glared at Zolo, who shrugged and grinned. "Did you tell him?"

"Maybe." Zolo smirked.

"Yes, sing my beautiful EJ-Chan!" Sanji cried, hearts appearing around his head.

EJ blushed. It was no joke that she was a very, very good singer. Like a cross between Delta Goodrume and Missy Higgens. She just didn't like to throw her voice around, like some people did, and the other night, singing in front of Zolo and Siam, had been a big slip-up. EJ got her coat and keys and wallet and the DVD, and said: "I am actually just going to return the movie..."

The Straw Hat Crew exchanged glances and, whilst EJ wasn't looking, there was a game of Paper-Scissors-Rock.

"I'll go with you!" Luffy declared, when he won.

"Umm...okay." EJ felt nervous. She had only driven in the car with Jed, Kyo and the driving instructor, so this would be a real test.

OoO

The video store was a fifteen minute drive, and it was fairly late but this video store stayed open late on Saturdays, not just Thursdays (late night shopping). It was good that it was so late, and the dance practice was still on, and Kylie was at her friend's place, because it meant EJ didn't have to hurry home. EJ and Luffy sat in the front, listening to her CD (which was various movie music) and Kyo sat in the back with the Blood Sword, which EJ had refused to leave behind. It still called to her...

"EJ, what did you mean I was like this Ash guy?" Luffy suddenly asked her, as he examined the glove compartment.

EJ gaped at him, then quickly looked back at the road. "Luffy, you agreed with me!"

"Yeah, but only because I wanted you to sing!" Luffy replied.

EJ was silent for a few moments, and then she said: "Well, you and Ash both have the same coloured hair. You both have lucky hats."

Luffy patted his straw hat proudly.

"You both have aspiring dreams," EJ continued, stopping at the lights. "Yours is to find One Piece and be King of the Pirates. His is to find all the Pokemon and be a Pokemon Master. You both have friends who have reddish coloured hair and love the sea - in your case Nami, in his case Misty, who wasn't in this movie, but that girl, May? She reminds me of Princess Vivi. You'll meet her one day (I hope). You both have friends who are cooks and womanizers...it all just adds up." _And,_ EJ thought. _If Ash Ketchum turns out to be real as well, and he meets Luffy, somebody kill me._

OoO

On the drive home, Luffy begged EJ to sing, and finally, at the very end of _Once Upon A December_, she relented.

"Far awya, long ago, glowing dim as an ember," Out of the corner of her eye, EJ spotted Blood Sword glowing in a more black light. "Things my heart, used to know, things it yearns to remember..." She sang as beautifully as an angel (really). "And a song, someone sings...once upon a December..."

Suddenly, something made her turn down a different street but Luffy, who has no sense of direction, didn't realise. If it had been _Nami_...

OoO

_Something is coming..._

OoO

"Luffy," EJ said quietly, as she pulled into the driveway of the field where pony club took place. It was deserted at this hour. "Stay here, okay..."

Luffy nodded questioningly, as EJ took up Blood Sword and left him and Kyo in the car. She walked over to a field, where a tall dark figure stood as if waiting for her.

He turned to her questioningly, and she saw those yellow hawk eyes she had longed to see - and deraded to see - for so long.

"Mihawk..." She said quietly, and gripped Blood Sword even tighter. She knew now why it was glowing in a dark light. It had sensed the greatest swordsman was nearby, and had responded accordingly, drawing her to him.

OoO

Luffy, still sitting in the car and oblivious to what was going on nearby, opened up the glove compartment, and took Kyo out by the scruff of his neck. "So, Kyo," Luffy said, as the cat glared at him. "_Does_ the light in the glove compartment go out when you close it?"

Kyo nodded, and then he attacked.

OoO

Unawares that her cat was attacking Luffy, EJ faced Jaraqule 'Hawkeye' Mihawk. Her blade felt warm in her hands, and it really did seem to sense the power they were in the presence of.

Mihawk noted EJ's sword, and said: "Zat sword...is ze power that called out to me, was it not?"

"How should I know?" EJ replied carefully, never taking her eyes off of the unpredictable swordsman. "All I know is that Blood Sword led me to you, it seemed to _want_ me to find you!"

Mihawk's eyes lit up in recognition. "Blood Sword, you say?" He asked her. "Zat is strange, because zat is the name of the sword which once destroyed an entire galleon of ships with a single stroke."

"I'm sure you'd know _all_ about _that_ then, wouldn't you Mihawk?" EJ replied.

"Perhaps." He said casually. "So, you seem to know my name but I do not know yours. Am I not at a disadvantage tzn?"

"So it would seem." EJ nodded. "I am EJ. The Blood Sword has been mine for eighteen years."

"Well zen, EJ," Mihawk said. "Do you wish to cross blades with me?"

"Do I have a choice?" She asked. "My wish is not as Zolo's, to be the world's greatest swordsman. My wish is to be worthy to wield Blood Sword again, since I lost it so long ago. A sword that was coloured crimson by my very blood deserves to be wielded by someone who deserves the title of 'Princess from another world'." Her heart was racing. What was she doing?

Mihawk smiled and nodded, drawing his cross-shaped black sword. As if it sensed the presence, EJ's cross-shaped red sword seemed to glow even more.

Mihawk noticed it too, noted the sword's shape that almost reflected _his_ sword's shape, noted how the colouring and the ruby on the hilt was blood red.

"Zis should be an interesting battle..." He decided, almost to himself, but EJ heard him.

She smiled. "Your thoughts mirrored mine completely."

OoO

The battle between greatest swordsman and Princess had been going on for an hour before Luffy decided to investigate.

He and Kyo left the car and walked to the field. Luffy leaned on the fence and, as the moon came out from behind a cloud, he saw EJ and Mihawk, their blades crossed, and neither one giving ground.

"Yikes!" Luffy exclaimed, and Kyo sat on the fence, his red eyes gleaming in the moonlight.

"Tell me something, EJ," Mihawk said, as she avoided being cut by the black sword. "You fight strangely, with the heart and soul of a swordsman, and yet you seem untrained in your current state. Why is zat?"

"I can only guess," She replied. "That it's because I lost the Blood Sword so many years ago, and now my body's frantically trying to remember how to use it. Somebody must have trained me...long ago...maybe my Father..." She became aware that she and Mihawk were not only equally matched in skill, somehow, but also in strength, despite the fact that he, a full-grown man, should have easily been stronger then a teenage girl. Was the Blood Sword adding to her powers?

It was a battle that neither could win. Both could see that the other was his/her match, but neither would give up. They would fight until _something_ happened.

Meanwhile, EJ told Mihawk about his status here in this world.

He was mildly shocked, even she could see that.

OoO

_This is no good._ Setsuna thought, watching from afar. _No good at all, I had no idea she was so powerful..._ Dark thoughts clouded the Prophet's mind, and she decided to intervene, for her own sake. The Prophet was a very powerful being, although her power knew only one rival.

If EJ's battle with Mihawk continued, then nothing was going to happen. Setsuna was tired of waiting.

She appeared as she had before, above the two skilled swordsmen.

"You..." Mihawk glanced at Setsuna for the briefest of seconds, before returning his gaze to EJ, who was staring at Setsuna, open-mouthed and awed. Mihawk supressed a grin. "You are ze one who brought me to zis strange and hostile world..."

"Not as hostile as your own world." Setsuna replied calmly, waving her key staff and Mihawk began to rise into the air.

EJ's face took on a look of anger. "Hey, Setsuna!"

Sestuna glanced at EJ. There was something of a look of disdain in her garnet eyes. "What?"

"We were in the middle of something here!" EJ exclaimed, as Mihawk was powerless against the Prophet's powers.

"And it was going nowhere," Setsuna said calmly. "Don't worry, you two will duel again, when one of you is powerful enough..."

"Powerful enough for what?" The two swordsmen asked at the same time.

Setsuna smiled, an unreassuring smile. "There is a second part to the legend, that Kuro did not tell you, _Princess_. Perhaps you should ask him..." And she disappeared, as did Mihawk.

"How does she do that?" Luffy wondered.

EJ stood there, her sword hanging limply from her hand, and she turned her face to the heavens and shouted for the world to hear: "I WILL DUEL YOU AGAIN, JARAQULE MIHAWK! MARK MY WORDS, WE WILL MEET AGAIN IN BATTLE!"

OoO

"Where were you?" Nami asked, when EJ and Luffy finally trudged into the house. To EJ she whispered: "EJ, your family came back, they're really angry that you weren't here..."

Zolo was looking at EJ closely. "Is something wrong?" He asked her.

She sat down on her bed, and started to clean Blood Sword with a towel. "No, no, nothing's _wrong_, except that damned Prophet Setsuna."

"Setsuna-San?" Sanji repeated, his eyes going a little sparkly (ah, she's _old_, even though she doesn't appear it Sanji!). "What about her?"

"Oh, just that she stopped the most important battle of my life against one Hawkeye Mihawk." EJ said bitterly, as Kyo nodded pointedly, and Luffy nursed the scaratched on his arms and face.

Zolo's eyes went wide. "Wait! You...you duelled against _Mihawk_!?"

EJ nodded.

"What happened?" Zolo wanted to know. EJ didn't look injured at all, except for her old injuries (apparently, her sword only healed cuts).

But EJ didn't reply, it was Luffy who did. He said: "They were equally matched."


	15. It's Not What It Seems

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

It's Not What It Seems

Over the next few days, Zolo had some trouble believing what he had been told. EJ had been too tired to tell him anything that night, but she had given him a play-by-play the following day. Zolo felt disturbed over this, because he never would have guessed...

Another thing that disturbed him was something EJ said after she'd told him her story. "It was the sword, not me." She said.

Zolo refused to believe that, but there was only one way to find out for sure.

He would have to duel her himself.

OoO

EJ had been keeping her new friends a secret since her parents had returned home, and Jed had been helping her. On Wednesday, EJ decided that it was high time the Straw Hats left the house.

It was time to go to...Fremantle!

She knew that Luffy would enjoy looking at all the boats. Nami would want to go shopping (EJ had just a slightly smaller allowance then her "sisters" and she was good at saving, so Nami could borrow SOME of her money - was she going to pay it back?). Sanji would probably flirt with every single girl he saw. She wasn't sure what Usopp would like about Freo, but he was coming regardless. And Zolo, although EJ didn't know it, was glad to be coming along to keep an eye on her. He didn't particuarly want anything bad to happen to her. Recently, she had been hanging around Black Cat Pirates and crossing blades with the greatest swordsman ever. That was reason enough for Zolo to worry.

Strangely enough, nobody else seemed all that concerned about EJ's troubles, although Nami had confided in Zolo that she wondered if EJ wasn't keeping anything from them.

EJ, on the fateful day she went to Freo with her friends, had to make two trips to the train station, since her car only housed five people, and there were six of them to go.

Firstly, she dropped Nami and Usopp off at Cockburn station (the two people least likely to get into trouble) and then went back for Luffy, Sanji and Zolo.

Zolo's swords went with him, if anyone asked, they were plastic, but there was no way EJ's sword would pass for plastic. So, she hid it in a guitar case, and hoped no one would notice. EJ hadn't played the guitar in years...

It (the sword) shone blood red, crimson steel with a blood red ruby on the hilt. Actually, it wasn't shining so much today, and even EJ felt a bit under the weather, although she shook it off as a monthly thing and went about taking her new friends to the train station.

"COOL!!" Luffy had to scream, when the train glided in from Wellard.

A few people looked at him, and EJ covered up for this by saying: "He's from the country...err, up north, in...uh, Kimberley."

That seemed to satisfy some people, but some still looked on curiously as EJ ushered her people onto the train, her guitar case swinging by her side and she wished she could just carry Blood Sword freely. It probably felt terrible, cramped up in her guitar case like that.

Sanji and Zolo handled the train like old pros, Nami kept Luffy under control (EJ felt an incredible rush of gratitude to her) but Usopp looked a bit sick by the time they'd reached Fremantle.

"I'll go and get him something." EJ sounded concerned, and left her friends in the care of Nami (Sanji was already in flirting heaven). EJ ran to a nearby convenience store, and as she stood waiting around in line impatiently, who should she run into but THEM...

"Oh no..." EJ muttered. "And I left my guitar case with Zolo...I could've hit THEM with it..."

"EJ, darling!" Shane cried, rushing up to her. "I am so glad you escaped those men from before!"

"I didn't _escape_ them!" EJ said indignantly, shifting away from Andre as he inched closer to her.

"So...they're still with you?" Sara questioned, inncoently but nothing got past EJ.

"_Yes_," She said witheringly, wishing now more then ever that one of her friends would show up, or that the line would hurry up and move. "They..." She spotted a familiar head of blonde in the crowd and, thanking her lucky stars called: "Sanji!"

Sanji, smoking even though North freo station is a smoke-free-zone, sauntered over to them and, seeing Andre and Shane, put his arm around EJ. "These two losers bothering you, EJ-Chan?"

"Not anymore." EJ said pointedly, glaring at THEM. "How's Usopp?"

"He could really use that drink." Sanji admitted. "It's a good thing Luffy's not sick too, although he looks pretty dramatic with his hands in those bandages."

"Nami and I _warned_ him..." That morning, Luffy had attempted to touch EJ's sword again and had lacerated his hands all over again. "Anyway, how's Zolo treating my guitar case?"

"As careful as he treats his own." Sanji glanced at EJ as the line moved forward sloooowly... "EJ, you and Zolo are..?"

"Where are you going with this?" EJ wanted to know, clutching her money in her hand.

"Well, I just wanted to know...I mean, you two are getting closer and all..." Sanji muttered. "And last night..?"

"Oh, _that_!" EJ cried. It was as if THEY weren't listening to the conversation (which THEY were) and so EJ accidentally said: "He sleep-walked into my room and tripped, landing on my bed which woke us both up immediately! It's been a real adventure having all of you guys living with me..."

"THEY'RE _LIVING_ WITH YOU!!??" Sara, Cassie, Andre and Shane all shrieked, causing about six hundred people to turn their heads and look at them.

EJ clapped her hand over her mouth, and Sanji's face turned pink. "Did I say that?" EJ muttered. She then grabbed Sanji's hand and started running. "Forget the drink, let's just get Usopp to the ocean, the salt air always does _me_ good!"

OoO

Usopp _did_ look a little better by the time they reached the sea.

"COOL!! Look at _that_!!" Luffy went running towards the dock where the boats were, and would've fallen in if Nami hadn't gone running after him and grabbed him. "EJ, what's _that_!?" He cried, pointing to an ocean liner. EJ told him, and Luffy looked as if he were already planning renovations for the Merry Go when they got back...

When they...

EJ realised that, eventually, her friends would have to go back to their own world. Nami wanted to make a world map, Sanji was going to the Great Blue, Usopp was going to become braver, Zolo was going to be the world's best swordsman and Luffy...well, Luffy's dream was the biggest. It wouldn't be right to keep them all here, just for her selfish purposes. Still, the thought of saying goodbye to them suddenly hit her like a freight train, and she had to sit down on a bench.

Keeping her guitar case close, she looked at her friends with tears in her eyes that she wouldn't let go.

Nami had Luffy at bay, and they were marvelling at the large boats in the dock. Sanji was staring at a bunch of girls nearby, who were eying him back. Usopp had stopped shaking, and a bird was using his nose for a perch. And Zolo had sat down on the bench next to her, and fallen asleep.

EJ smiled, despite herself. _My friends,_ she thought. _No...my nakama...I'll never forget them..._

Despite being by the sea, EJ felt ill, but she knew what would help her to feel better. It always did.

EJ stood up. Zolo woke up. Nami and Luffy turned around, the girls left Sanji's field of vision and Usopp's bird flew away in EJ's direction, so all of them saw EJ leave her guitar case, sprint off down the dock towards an empty stretch of ocean, and fling herself over the edge.

"Yee-haaw!!" The heard her yell, before she landed with a splash in the water. They all ran to the edge and peered over, where EJ resurfaced, fully clothed and grinning. "Come on in guys, the water's lovely! Nami, Sanji, Zolo, Usopp, Luffy...no, wait, not Luffy!" She grinned and sidestroked a bit.

Something about her made Zolo grin. He handed the guitar case to Sanji, and his own swords to Nami. Then he grinned even more and dived into the water.

The others watched him swim over to EJ, and then she dived under, grabbed his leg and dragged him under. He resurfaced and grabbed her in a bear hug until she yelled: "Okay, mercy! Mercy!" Through her laughter, and when he let her go _she_ grabbed _him_, and jumped onto his back yelling: "Giddy-up Zolo-horse!"

"Yup," Nami said, grinning. "Zolo's finally lost it."

"Huh?" Luffy asked.

Nami grinned. "He's in L-O-V-E! Why else would he be allowing himself to be 'Zolo-horse'?"

OoO

EJ and Zolo were soaking, but they walked along anyway, letting their clothes and hair dry out in the sun.

EJ was looking at her locket. The gold glittered in the sunlight.

"I hope it wasn't damaged." Zolo told her.

"Nah," EJ grinned, swinging her guitar case gently. "It's beautiful and indestructible."

"You mean like you?" Zolo said before he could stop himself.

EJ turned pink and didn't reply, but her lips formed a tiny smile.

OoO

Later on, they were still walking.

_The Black Cats and Arlong will have to leave, and Mihawk...I hope Mihawk leaves AFTER we have our duel..._ EJ thought. _I wonder who else is here..._

Luffy suddenly stopped dead in his tracks, as Buggy the clown stood down the street and glared at him. "I HAVE YOU NOW STRAW HAT LUFFY!!" He shouted.


	16. Everybody Loves A Clown

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Everybody Loves A Clown

EJ and Zolo stopped, and Zolo found himself putting his arm out in front of her, like in the movies. Nami stopped, and held onto her shopping bags. Sanji stopped, and held onto the rest of Nami's shopping bags. Luffy stopped, and Usopp walked into him (his nose did that thing where it goes in and then sproings out).

"Ow!" Usopp said, and then noticed Buggy, the clown pirate's angry expression made Usopp go frozen.

"I am going to defeat you Zolo!!" Kumoji added, and Zolo stepped forward.

EJ was shaking slightly, as more of Buggy's crew appeared. _I won't be excluded from this, since I am associated with Luffy's crew._

Luffy seemed to read her mind, because he said: "Buggy, your fight is with me! Leave my crew out of this!"

"Au contraire, straw hat Luffy!" Buggy sneered. "This fight concerns ALL of us!" And he and his pirates attacked.

"Not again." Nami groaned.

"Here we go." Sanji nodded.

"I'm not scared!" Usopp lied.

"EJ..." Zolo glanced at her.

She had taken out her Blood Sword. Its very presence didn't even do anything to the clown pirates.

They didn't know what it was.

More the fool them.

Buggy, of course, went straight for Luffy, and then the two first-mates duelled again. Nami was surrounded by about three pirates, Sanji had seven, and Usopp was figuring out how best to attack from afar.

EJ heard a sound behind her, and turned around.

Possibly the ugliest pirate she had ever seen was sneering at her, but he was in Buggy's crew, so what could you expect?

"That's a pretty sword," He said, drawing his own sword which was dwarfed by Blood Sword's beauty. "But let's see you _use_ it!" He swung his own sword down.

EJ didn't even think. She just countered with her own sword, and...kept on going. Blood Sword sliced through the enemy pirate's sword, and then through both of his arms, cutting them clean off.

It wasn't clear whose scream was loudest, the pirate's or EJ's.

Zolo turned around at EJ's scream, and looked shocked when he saw her standing there, blood dripping off her sword and the other pirate doubled over in agony.

Buggy saw it too. _What IS that girl?_ He wondered, and then separated his legs from his torso to avoid being hit by Luffy.

The other members of Buggy's crew had seen what had happened, and they all flinched when EJ turned towards them. She raised Blood Sword slightly.

They all stepped back.

Then, somebody grabbed EJ around the waist and pulled her up. Without even turning around, she knew it was some really big muscley pirate. _Thank God we chose a street with no people on it to walk down, or else there'd be BIG trouble!_ EJ struggled against the pirate's death grip, and then she noticed another pirate coming forward to steal Blood Sword.

EJ smirked.

She watched as the pirate reached for it and, as soon as his hand touched the blood, it was lacerated, much worse then what Luffy's had been.

The sword hilt felt warm in EJ's hand. _Hmm, what'dya know? My sword has a blood lust..._

She then managed to slice through her captor's right leg, and he dropped her.

"She's a demon!!" Somebody yelled.

EJ's eyebrow twitched. "What did you say?" She muttered, standing up. Her eyes were flashing.

Usopp, Nami and Sanji took note of this, and moved out of range.

"She's from the depths of hell itself!!" Another pirate yelled.

EJ let out a cry, and swung her sword down. "Iron Reaper Soul Stealer...err, I mean BLOOD BATH!!!"

Red streaks of light flashed from her sword and, whomever they touched was lacerated really quite badly, and it really _was_ a blood bath.

The two captains and the two first mates managed to stay out of the way, but Kumoji began to have second thoughts, especially when EJ turned to glare at him.

"Ah, Captain Buggy?" Kumoji said. "You didn't say we'd be going up against demonic children..."

"AURGH!!" EJ yelled, and pounced on Kumoji. She pinned him to the ground and pressede the sword tightly to her throat.

"Watch out! My bite is worse then my bark!" The warned him.

"Really? I would have thought of you as more of a _cat_." Kumoji told her.

"Why thank you." She smiled, and then jumped off of him. "If you and your captain value your lives, then you'll leave!"

"No!" Buggy shouted. "Not until I get my revenge! Chop-Chop Festivel!"

The shoes chased after Nami and Sanji. The pair of hands got into a slap fight with Usopp. Zolo had to contend with dodging a heavy stomach and chest. Buggy's head hurtled insults at Luffy.

Luffy and EJ exchanged a glance, and then EJ noticed that Buggy's legs hadn't gone anywhere - more to the point which _part_ of his legs were still there.

Grinning, she sprinted up to it and, as Luffy watched, EJ kicked Buggy hard in the fork of his legs.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!" Buggy's scream could be heard all the way to Esprance and beyond, as the parts of his body fell to the ground, and the Straw Hat Crew was able to escape, and clustered around their bemused captain.

Buggy's body parts came together again, and the head screamed at EJ: "WHY THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT, YOU BLASTED LITTLE GIRL!!?? I _NEED_ THAT PART OF MY BODY INTACT!!"

EJ blinked. "What_ for_??" She asked inncoently.

Buggy glared at her, and then his face went red. "N-none of your business!"

"Buggy has a girlfriend, Buggy has a girlfriend!" EJ said in a sing-song voice, and Luffy joined in. "Buggy and his girlfriend, sitting in the tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

Nami laughed. "First comes love, then comes marriage..."

Usopp and Sanji joined in at last: "Then comes Buggy with the baby carriage!"

Only Zolo remained unsinging, although he was grinning like the Cheshire Cat. Kumoji glared at Zolo, as the rest of Buggy's crew began to stand up, and noticed their captain looking more furious then the time somebody insulted his clown nose.

"Uh oh, Buggy's gonna explode." A pirate whispered.

His friend nodded.

EJ raised Blood Sword again, prepared to kill if she had to.

All of a sudden, Setsuna appeared.

"Setsuna!?" Nami cried.

"Setsuna-San!!" Yelled you-know-who.

"Hey, it's that time-key lady!" A clown pirate exclaimed.

"The Prophet..." Kumoji added.

"Is that Buggy's girlfriend?" Luffy wondered.

"NO!!" Buggy shouted.

Setsuna seemed to glare at EJ, and then said: "There is someone approaching from the west. I am able to remove Buggy's crew from danger, but you Straw Hats are on your own!"

It would've been funny if the portal above Setsuna had been accompanied by Dragnet music dum-de-dum-dum, but it wasn't, although Buggy and Kumoji looked murderously at Luffy, Zolo and EJ, before the clown pirates disappeared.

"I wonder where they're going..." EJ wondered, as the feelings of illness she had been feeling seemed to multiply.

"Who cares?" Zolo asked her. He noticed her pale face. "Umm...EJ?"

The Blood Sword seemed to stop glowing just then, and turned black for a second. EJ collapsed to her knees and groaned, alarming the Straw Hat Crew.

"Oh, yes, that," Setsuna said. "That cat-like pirate, Siam Meowban? He is in big trouble."

EJ looked up quickly, her eyes wide and startled. "S-Siam!? Where is he!? Is he okay!? What happened!?" The Straw Hats had never heard EJ sound so anxious.

"But, that's not all." Setsuna said, and seemed to smirk. _Everything is going according to plan..._ "Your cat is in danger too."

"Kyo!?" EJ yelled, but Setsuna had disappeared - again without giving EJ all the answers.

EJ's heart was pounding mercilessly in her chest, and she began to shake. She was shaking terribly, and Zolo couldn't help but put an arm around her shoulder. Nami took EJ's other hand, and the others stood by, just as a figure turned the corner and started walking quickly towards them...


	17. Everybody Wants To Be A Cat

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Everybody Wants To Be A Cat

"It's Jed!!" Luffy, Sanji and Usopp cried in unison, as the Kuro-like character hurried over to them. They could tell it was Jed because of what he wore - his black coat was plain whereas Kuro's had golden designs on it.

"Miss. Emma-Jane!" He said urgently. "Thank goodness I have found you in time, before _she_ did!"

"She?" Nami answered for EJ, who had buried herself in Zolo's arms, and was still shaking. "Who's _she_?"

"A terrible lady, from EJ's past," Jed said, pushing up his glasses. "Listen to me, Straw Hats. This is not the place to discuss this, so allow me to use my powers to transport us to a place that _is_..." He walked over to a nearby brick wall, tapped on it and said: "Sango Beach!"

A black hole, wide enough to fit even Butchie (if he'd been there) appeared in the wall, startling Nami, Sanji, Usopp and Luffy.

"You see," Jed said, smiling at them. "I too am from your world and..." He glanced at EJ, who seemed to have fallen into an uneasy sleep in Zolo's arms. "So is Miss. Emma-Jane..."

OoO

_Flashback-_

_"EJ? EJ?" The auburn-haired, green-eyed woman called, walking into the backyard of a dojo._

_A girl with raven-coloured hair and dark eyes came running up to her. "Aunty Jocelyn," She said quickly. "EJ fell into the river again!"_

_Jocelyn's eyes went wide. "Take me to her, Kuina!"_

_..._

_..._

_..._

_"Where is she!?" Jocelyn had just arrived at the river with her neice, Kuina, and was looking around for some signs of her daughter._

_"I'm here, Mummy!" A young EJ clung to the rock in the middle of the fast flowing stream, and Jocelyn nearly had a heart attack._

_"Oh, EJ!" Jocelyn cried._

_Kuina, however, remained calm. "EJ, you can jump out of this one, can't you?"_

_"I...I don't know, Kuina-Nee-Chan!" EJ replied, clinging to the rock with her cat-like claws. "I've never jumped this far before!"_

_"Ain't nothing to it!" Kuina assured her, smiling. "Just let go of the rock and JUMP!" She was very sure of her little cousin, who called her 'big sister'._

_"O-okay!" EJ looked determined, and suddenly she let go of the rock._

_Jocelyn gasped as her daughter seemed to be swept away by the currents, but suddenly the small girl jumped, and landed silently on all fours on the bank._

_"I-I did it!" EJ cried proudly, as her Mother ran up to her and threw her arms around her. EJ's pointy black-cat ears twitched, her black cat tail swished, and her whiskers and claws tingled. She felt her Mother's love, pure and strong. She felt the love of her cousin and best friend, Kuina. She felt her Father's love, and her Uncle's love._

_They loved her, even though she had been born a hybrid, and a Princess at that, who sunk ships..._

_End of flashback-_

EJ awoke with a start, to hear voices. She strained her human ears to hear.

"When she came into this world," Jed was saying. "She was separated into two parts. Her human side still exists as whole, but her 'neko' side is that of..."

"Kyo!" Nami exclaimed softly. "Oh, no wonder those two are so close!"

"To think that crazy cat is a part of EJ-Chan..." Sanji murmured. "Hmm..."

"Hey, what's Zolo doing?" Luffy cut in, and EJ opened her eyes carefully. She was lying on her back in soft white gold sand. The place she was in felt calming and neutral, and she had been here before. Sango Beach, beach of the shells...

EJ could see Zolo, standing about knee deep in water, just standing there, silently staring at the pinkening sky.

"He's been there ever since you mentioned EJ's relation to some Kuina girl." Usopp explained, and EJ's dream came flooding back to her. She and Kyo, used to be one and the same. He was the cat side of her! Her Mother, and Kuina! Kuina-Nee-Chan! Her Father was Kuina's Father's brother!

And...the coming to this world...

EJ sat up suddenly. The dreams she had been having for as long as she could remember came flooding back to her. The monster who had sent her to this world, and killed her parents was...

OoO

Siam awoke, to find himself bound by ropes and hanging from a ceiling. He didn't know it, but it was like a scene in _New Police Story_ and if he fell, cat or not, he'd be killed. He was in a different warehouse, he didn't know it, but it was one in Midland.

A sound next to him made him look. Also hanging by a rope tied around his torso was EJ's cat, Kyo. Kyo opened one red eye, and looked at Siam. His eyes seemed to tell a story, but before Siam could piece the pieces together, their captor stepped out of the shadows.

"You!" Siam exclaimed.

"I..." Setsuna seemed to be preocupied. She was pacing up and down in her green robes and garnet-coloured trousers, and then she stopped. "You two have caused me nothing but trouble! All I asked was that _somebody_ did away with that Princess! She's not even in her human-neko hybrid state!" Setsuna suddenly trailed off, and then pointed her staff key directly at Kyo, who flinched. "That's it...if I kill her cat half, then...she'll never be able to return to full power!" Setsuna paused. "No, I cannot kill her cat half...at least not directly..." She turned towards the shadows and said: "So, Arlong, you wanted a chance to destroy this Princess? Well, here it is! Just cut the ropes tying her cat to the ceiling and he'll die. He'll never be able to return to her and bring her back to full power!"

Arlong smirked, and began to climb the ladder. "With pleasure." He said.

It was a long climb to the top, but Siam began to pray: _EJ, if you can hear me, GET YOURSELF HERE NOW! Or else you'll lose! We'll ALL lose! And this monster can return to power once Kyo's dead!_

Siam knew this, simply because Kuro had told him.

And, how would Kuro know?

Simple.

Because he and Jed are brothers.


	18. Midland Warehouse 23

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Midland Warehouse 23

EJ was babbling, hardly making any sense, but Jed seemed to be able to get the gist of it. "I see...so, we must get to where they are, and fast..."

"Where are they?" Nami wanted to know.

EJ furrowed her brow, and said: "Midland...warehouse...23..."

Jed nodded, and walked over to a wooden wall of wood. He repeated what EJ had said, and his Go-Go No Mi powers activated again and the hole reappeared.

Zolo helped EJ to her feet and, walking slowly with each other and their swords, they followed the others towards the black hole.

"Zolo, I'm sorry...I didn't remember that Kuina-Nee-Chan was my cousin..." EJ said. "I know you get...flustered, around Teshugi, because she reminds you...of Kuina, but with glasses..."

"It's okay, EJ," Zolo told her. "You _don't_ look like Kuina, you don't remind me of her at all...except that you're an excellent swordsman, and you never give up..."

"Kuina-Nee-Chan..." EJ smiled as they stepped into the darkness. "Always encouraged me to...never give up...she said..."

_"Makenai..."_

OoO

EJ started to feel strange when they stepped into the light of the warehouse. Maybe it was because she saw Siam and Kyo hanging by ropes like in that movie she watched recently.

Maybe she saw Setsuna, whom we now all know is evil.

Or perhaps she saw Arlong, as he cut Kyo's rope, and the cat began to fall.

"KYO!!" EJ hurtled herself away from Zolo and into the air, with amazing cat-like ability. With Blood Sword in one hand, she caught Kyo with the other arm, and they landed on the ground.

Arlong looked at her, noticed the Blood Sword, and seemed to realise who she was.

"MERMAN PIRATES ATTACK!!!!" He shouted, and the other merman came out of hiding.

EJ was looking furious as well.

As a merman snuck up on Usopp and attempted to cut his head off, she lunged at the merman and kicked him, sending him flying.

She stood up, cradling Kyo in her arm, and barked out commands. "Sanji, protect Nami! Jed, protect Usopp! Luffy, take Kyo!" She handed the cat to the Starw Hat captain. "Zolo, cover me!" And she headed towards Arlong, her Blood Sword raised, and fire in her eyes. Her friends had never seen her look more angry. She climbed as quick as lightning.

Arlong looked angry too. "You lousy p-human!" He said, when she faced him on the platform, and Zolo stood at the ladder's base, fighting off any merman who got too close.

"No, you lousy merman!" EJ spat. "_Maybe_ I can forgive you for slaughtering half of the TAFE student and teacher body! BUT I WILL NEVER FORGIVE FOR WHAT YOU DID TO BELLEMARE!!!!"

Nami looked up, startled. She remembered EJ's words on the night they'd met.

_"Yes, I do, and believe me I cried just hearing about it! Creatures like that don't even deserve to rot in hell!"_ EJ was now more angry then Nami had ever seen her and, suddenly, remembering the story Jed had told them, she knew why.

EJ saw herself as Nami, having lost her family to a heartless monster. Suddenly, Nami felt so much closer to the girl, and so much stronger, that she was willing to fight on her behalf. She snapped out her bo staff, and downed three merman in a matter of seconds.

"Go Nami!" Luffy cheered.

OoO

High above them, EJ and Arlong were locked in a deadly duel. EJ was strong, but she wasn't invincible, and she already had a number of teeth marks on her shoulders and arms, from Arlong's shark-like teeth.

He, in turn, was covered in lacerations, from the Blood Sword which seemed to feed off of its mistress's anger.

They didn't speak, they didn't even yell. They were both locked in a silent and deadly battle. They accidentally cut the rope binding Siam, and he fell, but Jed saw what was happening and used his power to create a portal on the floor, and Siam appeared unharmed from a nearby wall. He joined in the fight.

EJ and Arlong didn't even bat an eyelash, they just kept on going. Everyone did. It was a long and gruelling battle.

Presently, the Black Cat Pirates arrived and, although their captain hated Luffy with a vengeance, they all appeared to be fighting on the same side, against the merman.

"CAT-ASTROPHE!!" Butchie shouted, and made fish pancakes out of a bunch of unfortunate merman.

Kuro watched, only willing to fight if EJ was in immediate danger. He and Jed exchanged a glance, a meaningful one that nobody missed, and everybodu could see how they looked related.

"You will run and jump out the window," Django told a staring merman. "One, two...Django!"

"Aurgh!!" The merman yelled, ran and leapt, crashing through the window and falling.

"Oh no!" A Black Cat Pirate yelled, as Django went to follow suit. "He's going to go too! He's going to take his powers of suggestion with him!"

"Somebody stop him!" Another Black Cat Pirate added.

"Don't do it Django!" Butchie grabbed onto Django's arm. "If you're depressed we can talk about it!"

_What an idiot._ Thought Kuro.

Setsuna looked on. In her present form, she couldn't harm anybody. But, if either EJ or Kyo was to die, then she would gain a lot of her power back. Suddenly, it came to her.

She called to one of the mermen, and ordered him to attack Luffy and the cat. Upon hearing this, EJ lost her train of thought. Arlong saw this, and sprung, pinning her to the ground and then his jaws, which had come out, latched onto her arms, legs and neck.

"AURGH!!" She finally screamed in pain.

Kyo seemed to come alive at his mistress's distress call. He leapt out of a startled Luffy's arms and jumped, jumping from things on the wall and such until he reached the platform and attacked Arlong.

EJ leapt to her feet and ripped Arlong's former jaws from her, just as Arlong threw Kyo against a wall, and some more teeth latched around him.

"KYO!!" EJ yelled, as Arlong went in for the kill. EJ ran and leapt, and when Arlong kicked, EJ and Kyo _both_ went flying off the platform.

"**EJ**!!!!" Nami, Luffy and Usopp shouted.

"**EJ-CHAN**!!!!" Sanji yelled.

"**MISS. EMMA-JANE!!!!**" Jed shouted. His injuries prevented him from doing anything quick enough to save her.

And Zolo couldn't move. A picture of Kuina flashed through his mind, and he was frozen.

And then it was all over. EJ crashed to the concrete floor of the warehouse, with Kyo and the Blood Sword held close to her.

She did not move.

Not a sound could be heard except for Setsuna's low, evil laughter.


	19. The Cat Returns

CHAPTER NINETEEN

The Cat Returns

"Quickly!!" Jed suddenly shouted, breaking awya from his battle and hurrying over to EJ and Kyo. "Sango Beach!!" The black hole appeared, and swallowed the Princess and her cat up. Jed jumped in next, followed by Nami, Sanji and Usopp. Luffy ran and leapt in, and Zolo hurried after them.

Before the hole closed, however, the remaining Black Cat Pirates (there were not many of them left, thanks to the mermen) followed them, and then Setsuna said: "It matters not, for _I_ have won..."

OoO

"EJ!" Nami cried, as they all huddled around the girl's motionless body. Tears gathered in Mai's eyes. A picture of Bellemare flashed through her mind. _Not again! Why are the mermen always killing people I love!? Why does everyone I love have to die?_

"EJ-Chan..." Sanji muttered, taking her cold hand in his. He put his other arm around a sobbing Nami.

"Miss. Emma-Jane..." Jed had gone sheet white, and was standing back, next to his older brother. "What have I done?"

"You did all you could do," Kuro said, unexpectedly. His face remained impassive. "But I did not..."

"Huh?" Everyone except Zolo looked at him.

"There was a second part of the legend," Kuro said without emotion. "That went: 'If the Princess's body is split in two, the death of one amounts to the evil one's return to power. The Blood Sword will blacken if both are killed'..." He trailed off, and adjusted his glasses. _I didn't leave my world to be surrounded by people who care, though. I am only doing this for the sake that that evil Setsuna will not return to power, although it looks as if that may not be an issue anymore..._ He glanced down at EJ's lifeless body, and noticed Siam looking absolutely devestated. _Hmm..._

Suddenly, Zolo gasped. "The Blood Sword! It's still red!"

Everyone looked. The sword, although glowing dimly in EJ's cold hand, was indeed still red.

And that was when Kyo stirred.

"It's Kyo!" Nami cried. "He's still alive!" She felt slightly relieved but only a little. Why couldn't it have been EJ that lived? The look on Zolo and Siam's face told them all that they felt the same way too. The reason EJ was dead and not Kyo, was because she had taken the impact of the fall.

Kyo opened his ruby red eyes, and then stood up, shakily, bleeding around the middle where Arlong's teeth had bitten into him. He glanced at his mistress, and nudged her neck gently. Of course, she did not stir.

Kyo meowed plaintively, and then he became very still, standing on EJ's unmoving chest, and staring at her closed eyes.

He meowed again, and this time he and EJ began to glow with red light.

OoO

_Elsewhere-_

_EJ floated in red and white space, and watched as Kyo 'swam' closer to her. She didn't need to ask what was going on, she already knew. This had been her destiny, from the time she and Kyo had been separated into two separate bodies. Kyo moved towards her, and they touched noses. All at once, a tingling went down EJ's entire body. Her tailbone, head, face, hands and teeth all felt weird. She closed her eyes, and whispered: "Thankyou, Kyo...I love you..."_

_He had been a loyal friend, created from her, and she'd had to find him, he'd been lost and alone in a junk yard. She hadn't known why, she'd just needed to find him, and he'd had his own unique personality._

_No matter what happened, she would always miss him._

OoO

When EJ woke up, she was surrounded by water. She was alone, floating on her back, in the middle of an ocean and, of course, she panicked.


	20. Somewhere I Belong

CHAPTER TWENTY

Somewhere I Belong

EJ didn't know how long she splashed around in the big, big, big, big water for, but as soon as she felt Blood Sword in her pawed hand, she stopped, and clutched it to her chest, afraid of dropping it. She returned to floating on her back, that was all she was able to do, and felt her tail and ears, cat ones, being wettened by the deep blue sea.

The breeze tingled her whiskers, and her ears picked up on a sound.

She daren't not raise her head, but a fog had seemed to settle and, out of the corner of her eye, she saw the green candles.

_Oh my Lord..._ She thought.

"Zis is an unexpected surprise!" Mihawk laughed softly, as his coffin-shaped boat drew up alongside EJ. "You look different from ze last time I saw you, EJ!"

"This is my true self." EJ explained matter-of-factly, feeling the waves roll beneath her. "I can't swim in this form, so...umm..."

Mihawk suddenly reached down, grabbed her wrist, and hauled her onto the boat. Once she was safely on board, she shook herself dry, placed Blood Sword next to her and, like a cat, began to lick her paws clean.

Mihawk watched her, his face without emotion.

_I remember swimming with Zolo...but now, in my true form, I can't swim...huh, I guess Zolo and I will never play 'Zolo-horse' again...at least not in the water..._ EJ had a sudden vision of her wearing a cowboy hat and cowboy clothes, and riding on Zolo's back through the desert of Alabastar, and she giggled. _Well, there's an upside to all of this..._

At last, EJ looked at Mihawk and asked the question: "Where are we?"

"Zat is simple," Mihawk said, with a hint of smugness as the boat started to move again. "For as soon as ze portal reappeared I knew, even before I went through."

EJ's heart sank, and then leapt.

"We are back in ze world," He grinned one of his rare grins. "Zat you call ze 'One Piece' world."

Well really, EJ should've known that. After all, she was _born_ here!

The question was...where was everybody else?

Jed, and the Black Cats...Captain Kuro...Django...Butchie and...Siam...they had all helped the Straw Hats, even though the Black Cats hated them...

Nami, Usopp and Sanji...

Luffy and...Zolo...

What had happened to all of them?


	21. Kyja

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Kyja

"I will leave you here," Mihawk said some hours later, when they finally reached land. "No doubt you have other zings to do with your time."

"Actually," EJ said, eyeing the water. "I kind of need to be told where I am... ... ...oh no," She muttered. "Oh no, oh no, oh no...I _know_ where I am..." She looked at Mihawk. "But, do I _really_ have to be here?"

"You tell me." The swordsman replied. "I know nothing of your destiny, only you know that."

EJ licked her paw thoughtfully, and then hopped off of the boat. "Yes, there _must_ be a reason why I am here, and I have to find out. Why would the closest island be _this_ particular one, there must be someone here..." _Why her, anyone but her..._

"Well zen," Mihawk said, as EJ waded through the water towards the shore. "I wish you luck, EJ, or has your name changed to 'neko' now?"

EJ turned and grinned at him over her shoulder. "Nope! I'm still Emma-Jane, Princess from another world."

Mihawk nodded to show that he'd understood, and he did.

EJ watched him go, and then turned around, to see a trio of very familiar-looking boys standing there on the beach, watching her.

They looked at her black cat ears and tail, and at the crimson blade in her hand, now shining brightly, and screamed: "AAAUUURRRGGGHHH!!! BLACK CAT PIRATE!!!"

"No!" EJ cried, although she couldn't really dispute the fact that she _was_ a black cat, and she _was_ a pirate. "I'm not, I'm with Usopp!" She cried the first words that came to her mind. "And straw hat Luffy, and his crew!"

The Veggie Pirates exchanged glances, and then narrowed their eyes. "How do we know you're telling the truth?" Carrot asked suspiciously.

_Good question._ EJ thought but, before she could attempt to answer, a figure coming towards them made her stop.

It was Merry, and he looked devastated.

_Oh no._ EJ thought.

OoO

"She was very, very ill," Merry said, as soon as EJ had proven that she was of no threat (the fact that she'd baulked upon seeing a grieving Merry had been enough). "She had no strength left in her..."

"Usopp would be devastated if he knew," EJ said tightly. "I was hanging out with the Straw Hat Crew up until recently, and I don't know where they've gone." She looked out over the ocean, suddenly feeling the significance of the moment, but she didn't know what it was. And that was when she saw a ship, with _that_ bow. She, Merry and the Veggie Pirates were standing on the beach (the Veggie Pirates were bawling) and EJ was looking at a shipful of people they hated, but she had walked forward a few steps, her heart began to pound, her body felt tingly like lemonade.

Still, it didn't help when the Veggie Pirates screamed: "AAAUUURRRGGGHHH!!! BLACK CAT PIRATE_S_!!!"


	22. Confrontation

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Confrontation

**MEG: I wasn't sure if I should put this chapter in here.**

**LUFFY: Why not?**

**MEG: Because people who aren't cat-like might find it a little strange…**

**LUFFY: Nyaa!**

**MEG: You are strangely-weird…**

OoO

_This was why Mihawk was made to leave me on this island!_ EJ thought. _Because the Black Cats would be coming!_ She couldn't wait to see them all again. Butchie, Django, even Captain Kuro, and Siam...

The Blood Sword began tingling, and EJ gripped it tightly. EJ knew her bond to the sword bonded her to Siam too. It was the most randomest character...err, person, that it could've linked her to, but he had been there, and now she wanted to see him again.

Then, she glanced at the others on the beach with her. She couldn't let them know, nor could she put them in danger, so...

"Go." She said, gripping Blood Sword, as if to prepare herself to fight. "I'll hold them off, I'm a pirate like 'Brave Captain Usopp' after all."

The Veggie Pirates needed no second invitation, and dove for the nearest trees. Merry glanced back at EJ, who nodded once, and then Merry too left.

EJ didn't know it, but the Veggie Pirates and Merry continued to watch her, as she stood there, staring, waiting, her heart beating like waves on the shore.

The anchor on the Black Cat's ship was dropped, and then a rowboat lowered into the surf. EJ watched, shaking slightly, her tail swishing, as the boat got closer and closer. She could see it properly now. She could even see who was in it. Butchie, being forced to row. Django, sitting there like some sort of overlord ruling over his slaves. And Siam, perched at the front of the boat, and leaning so far forward she was afraid he was going to fall in.

The Blood Sword practically came alive, and had its own herat, beating along with her own.

EJ was still wearing the clothes she had been wearing when she'd woken up that morning, but they weren't torn like they had been during her fight with Arlong. Her black three-quarter-length pants, her black belt, her purple halter top and her brown boots, as well as her locket, were all intact. Thank God. :)

Finally, EJ could wait no longer. She dropped Blood Sword to the sand, and ran into the surf, across the ankle deep water.

"Siam!" She called out.

Siam jumped out of the boat as soon as he could, and ran towards her.

"EJ!" He replied.

(Heathcliffe! Cathy!)

They met in knee deep water and hugged.

"I thought you were dead!" Siam cried in his scratchy voice.

"So did I!" EJ exclaimed, and they started laughing.

Siam suddenly drew back, and held her at arms length. "EJ...you...you've changed...you look..." He didn't want to say 'you look like a true Black Cat Pirate', because what if she was offended?

"I know," She said, blushing despite herself because of the way the thin Meowban Brother was looking at her. "This is my true form, me and Kyo combined. This was how I was born." She swished her tail, and then blushed even deeper as Siam reached up and poked at her cat ear. "Don't tell me you've been wanting to do that for ages." EJ said.

He grinned. "And what if I have?"

"What if?" She said playfully.

Suddenly, there was a tremendous splashing, as Butchie ran through the water towards them, and picked EJ up in his arms, giving her a bone-crushing hug.

EJ gasped. "Ah, Butchie, EJ can't breathe..."

"Oh, sorry." He put her down again, but she was smiling, as Django got out of the boat that was resting on a sandbar, and came over to them, grimacing as his shoes sank in the wet sand.

"Well, at least we found you before anyone else did." Django said.

EJ chose not to mention Mihawk. "When did you guys get here?" EJ wanted to know.

"Around the same time you started glowing," Django told her. "A portal appeared and we all gut pulled through. Captain Kuro's waiting for you on board the ship."

EJ grinned. "So, I can come with you?"

Siam nodded eagerly.

"You're a Black Cat Pirate, EJ." Butchie added.

A small nagging thought pierced through EJ's mind. _What about Zolo? And Nami, your good friend? And Luffy, and Usopp and Sanji? Aren't they your friends too? Your _nakama_?_

_Says who brain?_ EJ thought testily. _Now be quiet, or no tuna fish for you!_

"Just let me get my sword." EJ said, and ran back to the beach and picked it up.

That's when the Veggie Pirates sprung out of hiding, and accused her of being a traitor. Even Merry looked angry as he walked up to her, and said: "You even pretended to act sympathetic at Miss. Kyja's death! How _could_ you!?"

EJ stared at them all, her tail swishing, the evening growing darker. At last, she turned around and called to the three Black Cat Pirates waiting for her: "Okay me maties, let's go!" She turned and walked back into the water. Then, she thought of something, turned around and said: "I saved Usopp's life. Is that not enough?" Then she turned, and walked into the water, and they knew she was telling the truth.

OoO

Butchie was pushing the boat into the deeper water, and jumped in. EJ was about to follow, but her foot got caught. Her sword managed to land on the boat (the others scrambled away from it) but she fell and was sinking into the deep water, where hungry-looking fish with sharp pointy teeth glared at her in the stillness.

Suddenly, a gloved hand grabbed her around the wrist, and pulled her up, into the boat.

Siam Meowban grinned at her. "_Now_ who's accident prone?"

EJ stared at him in admiration. "You...you saved my life. I can't swim." She admitted, and then leaned over and licked Siam on the side of his face, as cats always do.

Siam's face went bright red, Butchie paused in his rowing to grin, and Django pulled his hat down over his eyes, smiling a little.

Suddenly, EJ's eyes went wide, and she moved her tail into view.

A little pink fish was on the end of it, making a small sucking sound, as if EJ's tail were a candy cane or something. Then it glanced up at her, and spat her tail out.

All of the hair at the end of it was missing, and it was bleeding.

"Aw-ah..." EJ stared open-mouthed at the fish, who grinned at her with big razor sharp teeth, and then hopped back into the water. "I guess...I didn't need that hair on the end of my tail anyway..." EJ muttered, and then jumped.

(Have you ever seen Sailor Moon? I got this idea from an episode where Lunar has a 'boyfriend'.)

Siam was licking the end of her tail, as cats do when they or their friend is injured. The blood was all gone, and EJ had to admit that it had stopped hurting. When the blood had stopped bleeding, Siam stopped, and EJ wrapped her tail carefully around her waist, leaned against Siam's shoulder, and stared up at the crescent moon.

She was glad to be with her good friends, even if she felt miles away from the rest of them.

Anyway, now it was time to face the dreaded Captain Kuro, of 1000 Plans.


	23. Bell

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Bell

**MEG: I hope that no one thought that last chapter was weird...**

**ZOLO: It **_**was**_** weird.**

**MEG: **_**You're**_** weird!**

**ZOLO: ...**

OoO

EJ was well prepared for what she got upon boarding the Black Cat. She had seen from Siam's reaction what people who had seen her _before_ she returned to her true self might say.

EJ didn't wait for anyone, she was eager to get her tail as far away from the sea as possible. She jumped up high, flipping over and landing soundlessly on the deck of the Black Cat.

The pirates who were on deck stared at her, wordlessly, and then somebody, she didn't know _who_, wolf whistled her!

EJ turned scarlet, like her favourite coat left in the other world, or maybe like her sword, which she held in her hand, and said: "Wrong animal. That's a wolf whistle, and I'm a cat!" Her cat ears twitched.

"Too right you are!" Another pirate called, and EJ turned even more red, if that was possible, as Siam, Butchie and Django joined her.

EJ swished her bare-end tail, as Django gave the Black Cat Crew a warning glare. He knew how this crew could behave, and the presence of a 'well-refined lady such as EJ' could be enough for them to...well, yup, there were a couple of nose bleeds in the crowd.

"FOR GOD'S SAKE MEN," Django yelled, upon seeing the nosebleeds. "SHE'S ONLY EIGHTEEN YEARS OLD!!!!"

"That's one hundred and twenty-six in cat years..." Another pirate, one of the nosebleed ones, murmured.

"She's a hot one hundred and twenty-six year old..." His mate added.

Django looked annoyed. EJ was staring at the wooden deck, blushing. Siam and Butchie exchanged a glance, and nodded.

EJ noticed the nod. If this were the army, she was sure that when she disappeared below deck, there would be some wall-to-wall counselling going on (she wasn't sure what it was called in pirate jargon)...

Sure enough, as she and Django went below deck, EJ could hear a shout, and them somebody got slammed up against one wall, and then the other one.

She looked at Django. He'd heard it too. EJ gave him a questioning look.

"Those men will be men." He said simply.

OoO

"You made it here okay." It wasn't a question, it was a statement, and Kuro hid his relief well.

"Yes," EJ said. Kuro still hadn't looked up, but she knew that when he did, and noticed her new physique, he wouldn't say anything. No doubt Jed had told his brother everything. "It was ironic that Mihawk dropped me off here, and then you guys show up."

"You will be staying with us from now on, at least until you find my brother." Kuro told her, still staring out the window at the crescent moon.

EJ knew what was going through her mind, but she had one more question. "What if he's with Luffy?"

"Then we shall deal with that when the time comes."

"Yes, we shall." EJ replied, and left.

Django lingered, and so heard when Kuro said: "I see something of the port bow..."

OoO

When EJ returned to deck, she saw that everyone was crowded around something, and she heard Siam say: "Probably..."

"Probably what?" EJ asked, coming up to them.

The Black Cat Pirates jumped, and all turned to look at EJ.

She blinked. "What's going on?"

"This is for you." Siam said simply, and handed her a trail of red ribbon with a small silver bell on it.

EJ was moved. "Arigatoo." She said, as Django came up, and EJ ran to him. "Django, you have to tie this for me! Siam and I can do it because of our claws, and you're..."

Django sighed. "Very well." He said, and tied the ribbon in a bow around her neck. EJ shook her head slightly, and the bell jingled, giving the same effect as a Chimeko in Pokemon. Even Django felt slightly calmer, that is until Kuro came on deck and said: "There is a ship approaching."

His crew looked at him, then looked up at the sky, where the crescent moon was glowing, almost red.

EJ noticed it too, and purred softly. Crescent moons had always had a strange effect on her, one her parents, Uncle and Kuina had always discouraged. But now, no one was around to stop her and...

"It's a Navy ship!" A Black Cta Pirate shouted.

"It's getting closer!" Another added.

"Soon it'll start shooting at us..." Somebody finished, and the majority of Black Cats gulped.

EJ, however, looked at Kuro. "Or is it?" Her eyes suddenly glowed as red as what Kyo's had always glowed. She placed her sword gently on deck. "I don't need this tonight..." She purred softly, and then took a flying leap, seemingly gliding, and landing on the Navy ship's deck.

At once, a violent battle broke out, and Kuro didn't hesitate. He may have wanted to leave his pirate life behind, but crescent moons were the big exception to this wish. He was hell getting in on the action of a bloody battle!

On board the Navy ship, Kuro found EJ's fighting style, at least tonight, to be...well...bloody. He watched her pounce on an unsuspecting Navy officer, and dig her clws into his chest, before biting into his neck with her sharp fangs, much like Kiba did in Wolf's Rain. She used her teeth, her claws and her agility to win her mini battles.

Kuro, as well, did his fair share of damage. He could do some major damge with _his_ claws, and his blood lust was always a lot higher.

He and EJ made short work of the ship's denizens in no time, and stood, leaning against the main mast, breathing heavily.

EJ looked around her.

That was when the full impact of what she'd done hit her, as the moon ceased to glow red and so did her eyes.

"What the hell have I done?" She whispered, spitting out the sailors's blood in her mouth. "I'm not a killer...but I have..." _Did I REALLY have to do that? I could've just left it to Kuro, but..._ She bit her lip. _The crescent moon brought out the beast in me, as it does him. Maybe it's just who we are, and we can't help it..._

EJ felt weak, like she'd just spent a day trying to stay afloat, and didn't have enough energy to make it back to the Black Cat by herself. Kuro had to carry her, and he didn't look too happy about it, but he did it. EJ was as light as a feather, and her being carried and covered in blood caused quite a stir when the Black Cats saw her.

"EJ!" Siam cried, rushing up to her, as Kuro placed her back on deck and she swayed unsteadily.

"Do not worry," Kuro assured him flatly. "_She_ wasn't injured at all."

The other pirates exchanged glances, the full impact of what had just happened began to sink in.

"I..." EJ stammered, falling down to the deck, haunched over her Blood Sword. "I killed...I killed them...did they have families? Did they _deserve_ to die?"

"YES!" About eighty people yelled.

"They mean," Django explained. "That it was either _them_ or _us_..."

"Well then..." EJ murmured. "I'm glad it was _them_..." But, in her mind, she wondered what Zolo would say if he knew. What Luffy and the others would say...what would Jed say?

OoO

Unbeknownst to EJ, Kuro and the rest of the Black Cats, as they set sail, one of the marines had survived. He clutched a photo in his hand. He staggered into his office, bleeding where EJ had bitten and scratched him, and stumbled to his snail phone.

"I'm faxing you the picture..." He muttered, feeling blood in his mouth. "She's a dangerous criminal...associated with the Black Cat Pirates...she almost single-handedly destroyed my entire crew...I'm the only one left...she was...brutal, vicious...a cold, heartless killer...I suggest a bounty of...at least...one hundred _million_ Berries...at the least..." The mariner shuddered, fell to the ground, and died, but the damage was already done...


	24. Wanted

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Wanted Dead Or Alive

THE FOLLOWING DAY… (EJ is practically a cat-atonic, and won't do anything for the next three hours I suppose, she's TRAUMATIZED!!)

OoO

Nami was singing _Italian Love Song_, by Tina Arena. She had heard it before they returned to their world, and she loved the song. She didn't know it, but EJ was singing it too, only she was on a different ship, so it didn't matter, and besides they were singing for different reasons.

Nami was singing because she didn't know where Sanji was. He was supposed to have come back an hour ago. They'd stopped on an island, and Sanji was…MISSING! (Gasp!)

"Are you still singing that song?" Zolo asked her.

"What's it to ya!?" Nami snapped, and then blushed. "Sorry, it's just after…everything that's happened…" She narrowed her eyes. "Besides, what about YOU…"

Zolo's eyebrow twitched. "What about _me_?" He asked testily.

_Flashback-_

_Zolo was sitting on deck, singing I Will Always Be With You, from All Dogs Go To Heaven 2._

_-End of flashback_

Nami glared at Zolo. "You KNOW…you and…EJ…"

"If she's dead then it doesn't matter!" Zolo snapped, and then stopped himself. If EJ WAS dead…but, what if she wasn't?

"I don't think she is." Nami commented.

"Me neither." Zolo admitted.

They exchanged a glance. Then, as if on cue, they both started singing _Somewhere Out There_ at the top of their lungs.

OoO

Sanji stared at the post, as if trying to make the image disappear. He ripped it off, and stared at it. Go to this link to see what he saw… http:// dark-anmut. deviantart. com/art/ WANTED-Poster-For-EJ- 102615901 (Except without the spaces, just copy it into your address bar up top and remove all the spaces).

Then he turned and, forgetting what he was supposed to be getting (I forgot too) ran. Just flat out ran, back towards the ship.

"NAMI-SAN!! NAMI-SAN!!" He shrieked. "MARIMO!! LUFFY!!"

"Hey!" Usopp stuck his head over the side of the ship. "What about _me_!?" Then, he noticed what Sanji was holding. "Is that a Wanted poster?"

Nami joined Usopp. "Sanji! A Wanted poster…is that _**EJ**_ on it!!??"

"WHAT!!!!????" Zolo came flying over the edge of the ship, and ripped the poster out of Sanji's hands. He scanned it, and his usually tanned face paled. "This…can't be…"

"Is that blood?" Nami had come up beside him and was peering at the poster too.

"Are those contacts?" Usopp added. "She didn't always have red eyes…"

"I'm more concerned about those cat ears and whiskers…and fangs…" Sanji muttered. "EJ-Chan, what have you become?"

"Hey guys," Luffy came up with a ham leg slung over his shoulder. "What going on?"

"Where'd he get that?" Usopp exclaimed.

Nami shrugged.

They showed Luffy the Wanted poster. His reaction was not as theirs had been.

"Now she's just like us!!" He cried.

Sanji and Zolo hit him over the head, just because they could.

OoO

Meanwhile, on the Black Cat.

Butchie looked absolutely terrified, as EJ paced around on deck, like an angry lioness. Every so often she would growl under her breath, and then Butchie, or any of the others watching, would flinch.

It didn't help when Django came up on deck, and said: "What's wrong with her?"

EJ swung around and glared at him with a low growl, and then continued her pacing.

"Somebody spied on EJ when she was changing last night," A Black Cat Pirate said. "And Butchie knows who it was but he won't say."

Siam, poor him, chose that exact moment to make his appearance. It was apparently too much for Butchie, because he suddenly betrayed his brother and cried: "It was Siam!"

EJ turned, her eyes flashing and with a savage growl she leapt at Siam. They tumbled onto the deck where they began to wrestle like two cute but very vicious bear cubs…or cats. Everyone automatically took a step backwards, since this was between EJ and Siam. Claws flashed, EJ's teeth were bared and, quite suddenly, it was over.

EJ was sitting there quite calmly and her tail, which had started to heal already, was wrapped tightly around Siam's neck.

"Say you're sorry." She told him.

Siam didn't say anything.

EJ's tail tightened like a boa constrictor.

"Okay!" Siam gasped. "Okay! I'm…I'm…"

"I'm _waiting_…" EJ said in a sing-song voice.

"I'm sorry." Siam said meekly, his face starting to turn blue.

"_For_?"

"For spying on you. I'm no peeking Tom." Siam sighed, and then started to choke.

EJ immediately released her tail's grip on Siam's throat. "But you _are _tom cat." She replied, leaned over and licked the side of his face again, before standing up, smiling, and going below deck.

"How _does_ he get away with it!?" Somebody muttered.

Siam stood up. He looked over at Butchie. His face was now angry.

"Running now." Butchie said, and went pounding across deck, followed by a very angry Siam.

OoO

"We have to find EJ." Zolo was pacing across the deck of the Merry Go, wearing an angry and tight expression. "I mean, I thought we had to find Jed, because we thought EJ would be with him but she's not because she's with the Black Cats and now she's killed someone!" It is probably the most he's said in this fanfic.

"Seems like she's killed _a lot_ of someone's." Sanji commented.

"And I bet she feels pretty bad about it." Nami added, remembering EJ's flying off the handle when she saw Arlong. "But the fact that she's with the Black Cats…" _How can someone like EJ handle them!?_ Nami remembered all of their sisterly talks, her fighting with Luffy, understanding Usopp, dealing with Sanji, and 'horsing' around with Zolo. Nami glanced at Zolo, who looked pained almost. She bit her lip. Did all of that not mean anything to EJ now?

Had her becoming part cat (again) changed her so much that she wasn't friends with the Straw Hats anymore?

Nami's heart clenched up, and before she knew what was happening, she was crying. She hadn't cried like this since the battle at Arlong Park, she hadn't even cried like this when she thought EJ was dead.

This was MUCH, MUCH worse.

The other Straw Hats looked at Nami, and Sanji was the first to race across deck and comfort her.

Nami cried on Sanji's shoulder, and Sanji let her do it, because he knew how upset Nami must be. It would be like losing her sister…


	25. The 'Other' Legend

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

The 'Other' Legend

Setsuna was back in her own world (the 'One Piece' world) and she was at about 50 percent power. Her time key staff was working better then ever, and it also allowed her to force her enemies to age rapidly.

She had been the one to kill EJ's parents years ago, and she had sent EJ into the other world. The...split, between her and her cat persona had just been a side-effect, one Setsuna had, of course, forseen.

She was more an evil monster from the underworld then a prophet. Arlong had failed to kill the princess, but now Setsuna could see a plus side to that. Even though the princess was also back at full power, her cat had given his life force to her. That meant that some of Setsuna's powers had been returned to her as well.

Also, Setsuna had _another_ plan, from a different legend, and she was very excited about putting her plan into motion, one that had taken years to get into full swing, starting with the deaths of certain people. Five of those people were already dead, and there were just five more to go.

Setsuna, though she may not be a prophet, could forsee things, including who the princess was going to be friends with. If certain people in the lives of those friends - the Straw Hat Crew - were killed, then Setsuna could return to full power and have the joy of defeating the princess herself.

Setsuna marked things off on her list, on her island floating in the middle of nowhere, practically.

--

DEAD:

Bellemare

Usopp's Mother

Kyja

Kuina

Sanji's Father

--

TO KILL:

Nogiko

Shanks

Ace

Kuina's Father

Chef Zeff

--

Setsuna smiled. She had placed the disease on Kyja's body long, long ago, and now the girl was dead. Setsuna could feel some of her powers returning to her, she had approximately twenty-five percent left to get.

No matter. Setsuna had some powers back, so she could do the killings directly now.

"Hmm, whom should I destroy first?"

Her first thought was all of those pirates who had failed to kill the princess for her. That stupid clown hadn't even known who she was!

But then, Setsuna smiled.

_You are all mine...Ace..._


	26. Black Cats VS Straw Hats

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Black Cats VS Straw Hats

"OH NO!!" EJ shouted.

"What is it!!??" Django came racing up on deck, and looked around, finally up, to see EJ standing in the crow's nest, leaning over so much she nearly fell out. "Is it trouble!?"

"It could be..." EJ replied, pointing her claw at the island they were heading towards. bout fifty other pirate ship were already docked there, and the feel of the island was definitely...

OoO

"Carnivale??" EJ blinked at the messanger bird, who could talk.

"Uh huh," The bird squawked. "This is a special place, just for pirates, and this weekend is our special party."

"I see..." EJ replied.

The other Black Cats had come up on deck, and so they heard the bird say: "Uh, of course, no mariners know about this..."

EJ pounced on the bird, slamming it down to the deck, and she growled: "Are you _sure_ about that!? Who orginised this event!?"

The bird was terrified, being so close to EJ's cat fangs, and it squawked: "I don't know! Don't shoot the messanger bird!"

"Hmm..." EJ glared, but she did let the bird go, and it flew off hurriedly, nursing a broken wing.

"EJ, you're certainly very full of energy today." Siam said, smirking.

"Shut up." Said EJ, but she was smiling. The all knew EJ had taken to cat-napping, anytime, anywhere.

Just like Zolo...

OoO

Land! EJ felt like cheering. After a week or so surrounded by the big blue, she was so happy she felt like kissing the ground. She didn't though, but she did take off running as soon as her booted feet hit the ground, calling over her shoulder: "Jah-ne!" Her sword swung against her back, and her actions were crystal clear - distance one's self from the water immediately.

"There she goes again." Butchie said, as the rest of the crew disembarked.

"Where's the captain?" Somebody else asked.

"He said he's not coming." Another replied. "Something about a waste of time..."

"But he _did_ say," Django said, a little nervously, as he came up from below deck. "That he'll slit our throats if _anything_ happens to EJ..."

The rest of the crew gulped and held their throats.

"Say, where _is_ she anyway?" Django looked around, and then glared. "DID YOU IDIOTS LOSE TRACK OF HER AGAIN!!!???"

"It wasn't our fault Django!" Somebody exclaimed.

"Siam!" Django yelled. "Go and find her! Take your brother with you!" As he atched the two Meowband Brothers take off, he thought: _Even __**I**__ have to worry about that cat-girl sometimes...and you know me, I don't worry about other people that often..._

OoO

"No way!"

"It's YOU!!" Roronoa Zolo faced both Meowbans for the second time in his life. He unsheathed his swords and glared. "Where's EJ!?"

"That's what _we'd_ like to know!" Siam snapped back.

"Yeah, Django said to go find her and bring her back, before she gets into trouble!" Butchie added.

Zolo's eyes opened wide. "You mean you don't know where she is!?"

"Well, she's on the island somewhere…" Siam trailed off, as Luffy and the others approached. "Oh great…"

"We're gonna fight them?" Butchie asked, just to make sure.

Siam rolled his eyes. "Yes bro, of COURSE we're gonna fight them!"

"But…what would EJ say if she were here?" Butchie was confused. "She likes the Straw Hats…"

"For reasons I know not." Siam replied. He was glaring at the swordsman, who glared back.

"Not YOU TWO again!!" Nami cried when she saw them.

Siam hissed at her, and Sanji instinctively stepped in front of her. Siam took the opportunity to take a stab at this, something like 'that blasted wench _finally_ got a boyfriend!'

Of course, Sanji attacked, and Butchie was quick to follow, but they were totally outnumbered.

"Well, there's a consolation to this…" Siam said, as the Straw Hats left them there to die (they had already determined that the cats didn't KNOW exactly where their missing princess was).

"There is?" Butchie wasn't entirely convinced.

"Well, for me, anyways." Siam replied. He had lacerations from Zolo's sword on his arms and face. "When our princess finds us, she'll lick my wounds…"

"So, you two made up?" Butchie asked. He didn't have as many cuts as Siam.

"Of course." Siam smirked. _She might still try and kill me if she finds out I nearly scratched that sword boy's eyes out…if she finds out who we were fighting against…_

OoO

REALLY LATE AT NIGHT

Siam blinked up at the night sky. "Umm, so, where is she?"

Butchie sighed. "She's not coming…"

Siam nearly burst into tears. "EJ…" He murmured.

"You called?" She had suddenly appeared right beside him.

Siam and Butchie jumped.

"You two baka," EJ muttered, sitting down beside Siam and doing _exactly_ what he'd said she'd do, she was so cat-like. "I…can't…believe…you…fought…the…Straw…Hats…"

"You mean you KNEW!!??" Siam wailed.

"Yes," She narrowed her eyes. "They are my friends, as you guys are, and don't you ever forget that!"

It was highly unlikely they ever would, after what happened the following night…


	27. Party?

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Party?

"I can't wait for the food!!" Luffy shouted, he could already see the ham and chicken dancing the tango around the room where the pirates party was going to be held.

"I can't wait to see Nami-San in a dress!!" Sanji had hearts in his eyes.

"I'll bet Zolo can't wait for the beer!" Usopp teased him.

For once, Zolo's mind was NOT on beer (but it was very close to being there).

_I looked the entire island over and couldn't find EJ, what am I gonna do? As if losing track of Jed wasn't enough, now we lost the princess too!?_

He decided that his best bet was to find the Black Cats, and trail them. EJ was, for some reason, bound to be close by one of them.

OoO

"I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO WEAR!!!!" EJ was heard shrieking the next morning.

She came pounding up on deck, without Blood Sword, which was very unusual for her, and she hurtled herself over the side of the ship and onto the dock.

"WHERE ARE YOU GOING!!??" Yelled about twelve people.

"SHOPPING!!" She yelled back. "I GOT SOME MONEY FROM THE SHIP, I HOPE THAT'S OKAY!!"

"It's not, but who's stopping her?" Django wondered.

OoO

"Nami-Nee-San!?"

"EJ-Chan!" Nami ran towards her friend, who had just emerged from a shop, and the two girls embraced.

"What are you doing here?" They each asked in unison.

Then: "Shopping!" They replied at the same time.

They laughed.

"Um, EJ-Chan…" Nami began. "What…happened to you?"

EJ reached up and touched her cat ears with her claws. "I reverted to my old form," She said defensively. "This is who I am."

"A killer?" Nami asked bluntly.

EJ paled. "Th-that was an accident! Captain Kuro did some of the killings as well!"

"Yeah, but YOU are the one who ended up on a Wanted Poster!" Nami cried.

EJ blinked. "I'm on a what?"

"You're a Wanted criminal, just like we are, only in your case it's fitting." Nami didn't mean to say it like that.

EJ's hazel eyes filled with tears. "I…I have to go now…" She turned and ran at breakneck speed, so fast Nami couldn't even IMAGINE catching her.

Nami sighed in frustration. "Well, I screwed _that_ up…"

OoO

"Where's EJ?" Siam asked for the zillionth time that evening, as the Black Cat Pirates (minus their captain) trooped into town with a thousand other pirates. There was a strict no-fighting law, even when the Black Cats saw Buggy's crew, they weren't allowed to fight, so they just GLARED…

Django stopped dead in his tracks, and muttered a few choice words under his breath.

"Maybe she's already at the party?" Someone suggested.

"She'd BETTER be!" Django was starting to fall into the role of 'guardian' with EJ, since Kuro has issues with showing affection and Jed was MIA. He was starting to get very annoyed with her, and though he wouldn't admit it (EVER) he was worried. Worried that if something happened to her, then something bad would happen to BOTH of them! (Kuro would kill Django, likely).

"If anyone sees her…just…keep an eye on her…" Django said gruffly, and stalked away once they'd reached a large castle-like building with many glass windows.

"What's wrong with him?" Someone muttered.

"Guardianship issues." Someone else replied.

They all nodded knowingly, and went their separate ways.

OoO

"Zolo's not drinking," Usopp said. "I'm worried."

"Well I'm not," Nami snapped, as she allowed herself to be led onto the dance floor with Sanji. "They'll sort themselves out." She hadn't told the others about her meeting with EJ that afternoon, but Usopp had a hunch. He just KNEW that was why Nami was angry, especially when he ran into a Black Cat Pirate, a random one, who asked him if he had anything to do with the princess's problems.

"No." Usopp said truthfully.

"You be lying, but I don't cares. Gots ta find me princess." He slurred, and staggered off.

Usopp shuddered, and went back to whatever it was he'd been doing, which was…nothing.

OoO

EJ made her appearance midway through the night. She appeared at the top of the staircase, and just stood there. Her appearance caused heads to turn, and she would have turned as red, except she was scanning the crowd for someone.

She spotted him. "ZOLO!!" She shouted.

Zolo's head snapped around when he heard EJ's voice, and he stared at her.

Even as a cat-girl, she looked gorgeous. Her midnight blue dress complimented her black cat features, and she was smiling at him. That made her look even better. That WASN'T why Zolo ran to her though.

He ran because she tripped and was falling down the staircase – again.

He rushed up to her and caught her around the waist, pulling her close to him, cat ears and tail and all.

"EJ…you're okay?" It was a question, as he frantically searched her face for some signs that it was so!

She nodded, to his relief, and said: "I missed you guys but…you won't scold me, like Nami-Nee-San, right?"

_I'm gonna kill her._ Zolo thought, referring to Nami of course. To EJ, he smiled a little and said: "Of course not."

She sighed. "Good. Fighting with her reminds me of when Kuina-Nee-Chan and I used to fight. It was awful." She didn't say what was on her mind, that she wished the Black Cats and Starw Hats could get along, because she felt torn between them.

However, she knew it would NEVER EVER happen.

Ever.

OoO

Sometime later, EJ and Zolo found themselves out on a balcony, facing the sea, and talking where they couldn't be disturbed. EJ told him about Kyja, and how the Veggie Pirates and Merry now thought she was a traitor, for associating with the enemy.

Zolo told her about how Nami and Sanji were growing closer, and she seemed happy.

"Where's your sword?" He asked her suddenly.

"Oh, back on the Black Cat, I don't think I'll need it…" She broke off, and stared out at the sea. "But then again, I could be wrong!" She added, standing up.

The Navy had arrived.


	28. Luffy's Brother

TWENTY-EIGHT

Luffy's Brother

It all happened so quickly. Somebody must have heard what EJ said, because all of a sudden shouts from inside the building could be heard.

"That damned bird tricked me! I _knew_ something was wrong!" EJ yelled, as Zolo grabbed her by the paw and dragged her inside. "Where are we going!?"

"We have to get out of here!"

"No." EJ said simply and, somehow, everyone stopped what he or she was doing and stared at EJ.

"No?" One of Buggy's pirates repeated.

"No," EJ repeated simply, taking a deep breath, and then saying, in a louder voice: "The Navy has already approached from the side where most of our ships are on (except for ours, that is)."

Zolo cringed. EJ referred to the Black Cat as 'hers'. Did that mean she considered herself to be a Black Cat Pirate?

"Our best bet would be to make ourselves totally scarce," EJ went on, sounding a lot more calm then what she felt. "And escape from this island as soon as we can…" _And, _she added silently, _I am going to get that bird, and whoever sent it!_

Everyone seemed to agree with EJ, and left the building from the other side, facing towards the jungle.

EJ lingered, and that's when she found Siam. Or, Siam found her. At any rate, they found each other.

"EJ, you were great!" Siam cried, clasping her paws in his claw-gloved hands. "You really sounded like you knew what you were doing!"

"Well…" EJ looked embarrassed. "If I am indeed this _princess_ you all say I am, than I have to protect people, even if they are _just_ pirates!"

Siam rolled his eyes and grinned, and they prepared to leave.

That was when EJ spotted HIM.

"Hey!" She cried, stopping. "It's Luffy's brother! Ace!"

Upon hearing his name, Ace turned around and, when he saw EJ, his face split into a huge grin. "Hey, it's cat girl from the Wanted poster!"

Somehow, when Ace said it, it didn't sound as nagging as when _Nami_ said it, although EJ knew that Nami was just worried.

She had lost track of Zolo by that time and, just as they were leaving (she, Ace and Siam) EJ had more reason to panic.

"I command you to stop, in the name of…" The mariner's last words were cut off when Zolo appeared from nowhere, slashing the solitary officer with his sword. "EJ, GET OUT OF HERE!!" Zolo shouted, running towards her and grabbed her hand.

In EJ's mind, the music _Heaven Help My Heart_ began playing, because more Navy officers arrived, with guns.

EJ froze, unsure of what to do. On the one paw, she should really leave, because she was a Wanted criminal (dead or alive). On the other paw, though, she was obliged to help the other pirates as much as she could, whether they wanted her help or not.

_I can't believe I left Blood Sword…oh heaven help my heart!!_ EJ thought in desperation, and then pushed Zolo, Siam and Ace, in one group, out of the first story window.

"EJ!!??" Siam yelled.

_She looks familiar, and I don't just mean from the poster…_ Ace thought.

"No!" Zolo yelled, as one shot was fired, and then there was silence as he and the other two landed in the shrubbery.

OoO

_Flashback-_

_Is this a dream? A young Ace wondered._

"_Hey, you!" The cat girl yelled, glaring at him. "Get away from my melting clock and out of my dream!"_

_Ace looked over at the melting clock beside him. "EEW!" He said, then: "Wait, but this is MY dream!"_

"_Not again," The cat girl exhaled angrily. "You're, like, the tenth person I've had dreams about and they say it's THEIR dream!"_

_Ace was interested. "Who else was there?"_

"_Oh…" The cat girl sat down beside him and licked her paws. Ace was fascinated. He'd never seen a cat person before. "Some woman with a long nose, a blonde-haired ill girl, a tough red-haired woman, some blonde guy with a cigar, a red-haired pirate with a straw hat, some scary guy with red shoes, a girl with blue hair, my Uncle and my cousin, and now YOU…" She looked pointedly at him._

"_Oh, yeah, the name's Ace." He grinned at her. She was younger then he was, but she seemed nice enough. "And, you are..?"_

"_I'm…" Then, Luffy knocked over a table in the bathroom and woke Ace up, and he's never forgiven Luffy for doing that._

_-End of flashback_


	29. A Temporary Truce

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

A Temporary Truce

It didn't take long for the entire island to have cornered those responsible for the deception, and justice was served.

"That's the LAST time I trust _anybody_ who's not a pirate!" One of Buggy's pirates said.

"EJ was right," Butchie said quietly, but everyone heard him. "She didn't trust that messenger bird…"

"Where _is_ she, anyways?" Nami wanted to know. _EJ-Chan, please be okay…_

But, it wasn't to be…

OoO

Zolo, Siam and Ace came trudging out of the darkness of the hour just before dawn, looking as if the world was about to end.

"Ace-Nii-San!" Luffy shouted, waving him and Zolo over.

"_That's_ your brother!?" Nami cried in disbelief. _Sheesh, I must've walked past him twelve times last night and not known who he was…_

Usopp noticed the long, dejected looks Zolo and Ace wore, and asked them what was wrong.

At the same time, Butchie was asking Siam what was wrong, and then Django screamed: "WHAT HAPPENED TO EJ!!??"

For the entire crowd to hear, Siam announced: "EJ sacrificed herself to save me and those other two." Everyone gasped. "She got captured by the Navy. They must've decided one was enough, since she went fairly easily after…" He gulped. "They _shot_ her…"

Nami's heart was racing. The last things she'd said to EJ had been awful, she'd nearly yelled at her. What if…it happened again? Tears gathered in Nami's eyes.

"Well then," Luffy suddenly said, speaking to nobody and everybody. "We'll just have to rescue her!"

Everyone, even those who didn't know EJ at all, looked at him.

"I mean, she's a Princess, after all, and our friend!" Luffy went on. "And, well, she helped us when we went to the other world, so now we have to help her!"

"She saved my life, little bro." Ace commented.

"Yeah, that too." Luffy said. "So, who's with me?"

There was a silence, as everyone seemed to be adding up the odds (break into a prison, heavily guarded by heavily armed mariners or not…).

Then, Zolo said: "I'm with you Luffy!"

"Me too." Nami nodded. _I'll never forgive myself if…anything happens to her…_

"Me t-t-too!" Usopp stammered, but his eyes were determined.

"Of course I'll go, and save pretty EJ-Chan, and protect my lovely Nami-San too!" That was Sanji.

"I'll come too, she saved my life so I kinda owe her one." Ace nodded.

The Straw Hats and Ace looked around.

Siam, not to be outdone, said: "The Black Cats will help you, but only for the sake of our Princess, not for the sake of some make-believe friendship we cats may have with you!"

"That's the way it is." Nami agreed.

"We'll help too." Buggy said, totally unexpectedly.

"Okay. Why?" Luffy wanted to know.

"JUST BECAUSE!!" Buggy screamed.

"You sure your _girlfriend_ won't be jealous?" Nami teased him.

"IF IT WEREN'T FOR THE TERRIBLE CIRCUMSTANCES I WOULD KILL YOU NAMI!!!!!!!!" Buggy's face was red with either anger or embarrassment (the Straw Hats reckon…*checks notes*…embarrassment!)

"So, this is just a temporary truce, until we find EJ-Chan." Nami said, just to make sure.

"Of course." Buggy glared at her.

"So, we attack the Navy fort at dawn!" Luffy declared.

"Of course." Django glared at him.

"For EJ-Chan!" Sanji added.

_They're all calling her –Chan…_ Siam thought, completely ignoring everyone except Nami and Sanji (who are the ONLY people who call EJ that). _What would she say if __**I**__…_

He suddenly became aware that everyone who was going was about to ship out, and he hurried to catch up with his crew.

_We HAVE to rescue her!_ Luffy was thinking.

_I HAVE to find out what that dream I had means!_ Ace was thinking.

_I DON'T have a girlfriend!_ Buggy thought angrily.

_Captain Kuro's gonna kill us…especially me…_ Thought you-know-who.

OoO

**MEG: So, if Buggy doesn't have a girlfriend, does that mean he's…you know…**

**NAMI: *Gasps* GAY!?**

**BUGGY: I AM NOT GAY!!!!**

**ZOLO: Could've fooled me…**

**BUGGY: I'M NOT!! *Begins to cry***

**NAMI: He's gay.**

**ZOLO: Yup.**

**MEG: O_o**

**DJANGO: *Still freaking out because Kuro's gonna kill him***

**EJ: *Not here***


	30. Jail Break

CHAPTER THIRTY

Jail Break

"_This_ is the place?" Luffy breathed.

"Well, it IS the closest Navy base to that island." Nami replied, checking the compass. _Yup, this is definitely the place…_

It was strange, for the Straw Hats, to be sailing alongside the Black Cat, and the Big Top. The temporary truce was a strange one, they were somehow all bonded together by a Princess they didn't know how to protect. Buggy, though, probably just wants to prove he hasn't got some secret love life. What a weirdo.

"What be the plan Captain Kuro?" Asked a brave, brave Black Cat Pirate.

Kuro glared at him, and said: "Just leave everything to me."

"You and the others?" The pirate asked, just to be sure and…

That's how he found himself being dragged under the ship on that rope like in the olden days, just the same punishment as Django had suffered. Barnacles underneath the boat cut into them, and sharks came along.

The pirate was terrified, as he was finally drawn up and the sharks leapt up, trying to get a bite of him (and we're talking big Great White Sharks here peoples, not just little Hammerheads).

"Hurry, hurry!" The pirate yelled.

Once he was safely back on deck, he saw Siam just standing there, next to the place where EJ had left her Blood Sword.

"Don't touch that bro," Butchie reminded him. "Remember what happened to the other guys who tried?"

Siam remembered, but something caused him not to heed his younger brother's warning. He reached out and, not only did he touch the sword, but he _picked it up_.

OoO

EJ stirred, and then came to. Her shoulder was aching, so much it brought tears to her eyes. She vaguely remembered the gun…

_Ah, so this is what it's like to be shot…I'm sorry I ever doubted you Usopp…_

She opened her eyes and, immediately wished she hadn't. Suddenly, about a zillion guns were cocked and pointed at her and, into the room where she was chained up stepped Colonel Nezumi.

EJ recognized him instantly, and struggled against her chains.

Colonel Nezumi laughed without mirth, and said: "Struggle all you want, but you are just as weak as a helpless kitten."

EJ hissed. "You wouldn't dare say that if my crew were here! Captain would rip you apart!"

"Yes, we know _all_ about your crew, cat girl!" Nezumi said, pacing up and down the room. "And you, you almost single-handedly destroyed an entire crew of mariners. It seems a shame, you're so young and pretty, but we have to condemn you to death."

"You do not _have_ to!" EJ hissed, still fighting against her chains, her shoulder aching. They'd shot the one which her foster Father had kicked. "You _choose _to, not let me go or pay the price!"

The mariners laughed, and EJ felt her blood boiling. What was she going to do? They'd take her outside, tie her to a post, and then…

KA-BOOM!!!!

_What was THAT!?_

OoO

"They work as well as I remember them…" Nami thought wryly, as the cannon on Buggy's ship was fired, causing the ultimate decoy for the rescuers.

The rescuers were not Bernard and Bianca. They were:

Siam and Butchie, Kuro and Django.

Luffy, Nami, Zolo, and Ace.

The others would stay on shore, to fight the marines who now came swarming out, as the Merry Go, with four grudging Black Cats on board, sailed around to the other side of the island, and they disembarked quickly.

Sanji and Usopp stayed on board to defend the ship (Sanji was annoyed and upset at not being able to protect Nami-San and EJ-Chan, but the others gave him no choice).

The words Kuro spoke to the Straw Hats, and even to his own crew, were chilling: "Don't get in my way or I'll kill you."

OoO

Despite the distraction, Nezumi decided to get things over quickly. Before that, though, he gave EJ a choice.

Because he considered her to be too young and a (his words, the idiot) pretty-kitty, she could join the Navy, or be executed.

She was unchained at this time, and it took ten officers to get her off of Nezumi, who was bleeding at the arms and face.

"What a shame," Nezumi said again. "Alright, let's get this execution over with…"

EJ was led outside, to a yard, where a wooden stake was. She was tied to it, and blindfolded. The last thing she saw was Nezumi's smirking face, and that was when EJ remembered Nezumi's deal with Arlong.

Rage overcame her senses, so she was totally blind to whatever went on around her.

She came to when she heard Zolo's voice: "TIGER TRAP!"

And Luffy: "GUM GUM RAPID FIRE!"

And Butchie: "CAT-ASTROPHE!"

_What? The Straw Hats teamed up with the Black Cats??_

And then: "CAT OUT OF THE BAG!"

EJ's heart leapt. "CAPTAIN KURO!" She shouted.

"WHAT, DON'T WE GET A MENTION!?" Ace shouted, setting fire to a bunch of mariners.

EJ's grin was like sunshine. "THANK YOU! NOW, SOMEBODY HELP ME!"

"As you wish, milady." Siam's scratchy voice said from beside her, and suddenly her blindfold was off, and her ropes cut.

Pandemonium reached her hazel eyes.

Butchie, Luffy, Zolo, Ace and Kuro were all engaged in some kind of difficult battle, due to the number of mariners they were up against. Django had managed to hypnotise a bunch of them, and Siam was preparing to enter the battle but, just then, Nami's scream pierced the air.

EJ's head swung around.

Nezumi had Nami at gunpoint, and was getting ready to pull the trigger.

_Oh my God…I go out…just like Bellemare did?_ Nami's heart seemed to stop.

"NO!!" EJ screamed and, despite her bloody shoulder, she leapt on Nezumi, biting him viciously, and scratching at his arms. "You will NOT harm Nami-Nee-San!"

"Those two don't look related." A mariner commented, which caused Luffy to king hit him.

"SIBLINGS DON'T HAVE TO BE BLOOD RELATED!!" He shouted.

"Well said 'blood-related' little bro!" Ace grinned.

EJ had pinned Nezumi to the ground, like a real cat and a mouse.

Suddenly, a single shot was heard, and EJ's eyes went wide.

"You…you did it…" She gasped, her face going pale. Her foe smirked.

Nezumi had just shot her in the stomach, towards one side. They all saw the bullet go clean through, and the blood.

Nami's eyes glazed over. Zolo stopped and stared. Siam couldn't believe it.

Everyone stopped and stared then, as Nezumi stood up, holding EJ up by the back of her bloody top. He held the gun to her head, and said: "I don't _really_ want to, but if anyone moves then I will! She's just a girl, after all, she couldn't have defeated me!"

EJ's eyes were closed, it was impossible to tell if she was already dead or not.

Then, suddenly, she opened them, and caught a glance of red and green out the corner of her eye. "Baka…" She whispered, just as Siam swung the Blood Sword, cutting into Nezumi's shoulder, and he yelled out and dropped EJ.

Now, Nami entered the fray. She had been content to stand back and watch things unfold – until Nezumi's comment on EJ's gender.

Now, memories of Bellemare telling her never to give up and that girls could do anything, came flooding back to her, as Siam caught EJ as she slid to the floor, and called for help, which came in the form of Zolo.

Nami, meanwhile, had pounced on Nezumi like a tiger, and started beating the hell out of him.


	31. Nami

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Nami

Nami was scarred by memories of her life after ten. But, if there was one thing it had taught her, it was that your friends were everything.

Also, women could SO beat up boys, and Nezumi had never looked worse. Luffy, Ace, Butchie and even Kuro were all sweatdropping, as Nami dished out all of her anger onto Nezumi.

"Ah, Nami?" Luffy dared to say.

She turned to him. "What!?" She snarled.

Nezumi did not stir.

"I think that…you killed him." Luffy said.

Nami jumped. "Eek!" She leapt away from Nezumi (he's not dead, btw).

Butchie looked at Nami. "You're weird."

Nami glared back at him. "Why? Because I'm so tough?"

Butchie was wise enough not to answer that.

OoO

Meanwhile, Siam had used EJ's sword to heal her immediate wounds, but he and Zolo discovered that she was going into cardiac arrest.

Zolo's own heart seemed to stop, as EJ wasn't breathing, nor was her heart beating.

If there was one thing EJ had made him watch back on earth, it was this thing called LEARN CPR. They had all practiced on these dummies EJ had lying around, and Zolo had learnt the most.

It was time to put what he'd learnt to good use.

He began performing CPR.

This, yes, involves putting your lips to the other person's mouth, and Zolo did this without a second hesitation.

The others, meanwhile, had crowded around, leaving Kuro to take care of everyone else.

Django, stepping back into the role of 'anxious guardian' kept on asking: "Is she breathing? Is she breathing?"

Nobody cared though, they were all too worried as well.

"Come on EJ!" Luffy exclaimed. "You _have_ to wake up!"

"EJ-Chan!" Nami sobbed. "I'm so sorry I yelled at you. I didn't mean it, I'm on a Wanted poster too you know!"

_I…know…_

EJ's eyes fluttered open, and she became aware of what was happening. Zolo drew back from her, and stared at her.

"Are you…" He was afraid to ask.

"I can't walk, if that's what you mean…" EJ murmured. She found Siam's hand and took it in her paw, and then looked at Nami. "Nami-Nee-San…it's okay, I'm not going to die. (Not yet anyways). I shouldn't have run off." Then, she looked at Zolo. "You learn fast, Zolo-Kun, thankyou for bringing me back."

"She's okay, she's okay!" Django sobbed, the pansy. Guys don't cry!

"Siam-Chan, you wielded Blood Sword…heh heh, I always _knew_ you could…" EJ muttered.

"EJ-Chan…"

_DON'T call her –Chan!_ Zolo thought, glaring at Siam, who didn't even notice.

"Uh oh…" Butchie suddenly said, as more mariners poured out of the building.

EJ, who was now sitting up in Zolo's arms, noticed it too. "It's like a bloody clown car." She frowned.

"HEY!!!!" Buggy yelled all the way from the shore.

"I suggest we make tracks, fast!" Nami said, standing up. "We're in way over our heads here!"

"I agree." Luffy said. "We need to get EJ to safety, and…"

"That's on the Merry-Go, of course!" Zolo said, standing up with EJ in his arms, bridal style.

Django, Siam and Butchie all glared at him.

EJ's head was starting to hurt – a lot. "I DON'T CARE WHERE I GO," She screamed. "BUT I'D LIKE US ALL TO STAY TOGETHER FOR THE TIME BEING, **BLOOD WAR OR NOT!!!!!!!!**"

"Okay, calm down." Ace told her. "Let's just sail together for the nearest island, okay? EJ can come with us, since she's in Zolo's arms."

"Fine, fine," Nami said. "Let's just GO!!"

OoO

As they sailed away from the island as fast as they could, Nami thought back to something Nogiko had told her.

_She had a dream about a cat girl…Bellemare said it too…_

Come to think of it, didn't Ace say…

Nami gasped. "Usopp!?" She yelled.

"What!?" Usopp yelled from the crow's nest.

"Did Kyja ever say anything about dreaming about a cat-girl!?" Nami thought that Kyja and Usopp were very close, sort of like brother and sister, but NOT. DEFINITELY NOT. But, with that kind of closeness.

Usopp paused. "Now that you say it, she _did_ say something about it…so did my Mum for that matter…"

"Kyja!" EJ suddenly gasped, from her place in Zolo's arms. "Kyja…she's…dead! Mihawk dropped me off…at the island…Syrup Village…Merry…told me!"

Usopp had gone pale, and nearly fell out of the crow's nest.

"Usopp…I'm so sorry…"

OoO

Nami went below deck to do some serious thinking.

She got out a piece of paper, and wrote out a list:

PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD DREAMS ABOUT EJ:

. Bellemare

. Nogiko

. Ace

. Kyja

. Usopp's Mother

--

Then, she made a second list:

PEOPLE WHO HAVE DIED FROM ABOVE LIST:

. Bellemare

. Kyja

. Usopp's Mother

--

Nami frowned. She went back on deck, and found Zolo, who was sitting leaning against a wall, with his arm around EJ, who was asleep, Blood Sword resting beside her.

"Zolo, did you know anyone who ever had a dream about a cat girl, ie EJ-Chan?" Nami asked him flat out.

Zolo looked up at her. "What kind of a question is _that_?"

"Just answer it sash-boy!" Nami snapped.

Zolo thought hard. "Not that I know of…"

Ace suddenly appeared. "Yo, are we talking about what I think we're talking about?"

"Depends." Nami replied, and then asked him what he knew about his dream about EJ.

Ace gave her the 4-11, and that included EJ's list.

Together, the three of them conscious devised a list similar to Setsuna's.

"That could mean…" Nami said shakily. "That Nogiko is in danger. Not to mention all these other people."

"Including Kuina's Father, my Sensei!" Zolo exclaimed.

"And _me_." Ace commented. (Who cares about YOU!? MEG: I DO!!)

OoO

EJ was having a strange dream. It told her that there were two people who would give her power to protect the pirates she loved, and their friends. Ace, she had to protect Ace, and that was important.

EJ awoke with a start. "Where are we?"


	32. EJ's Swimming Lesson

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

EJ's Swimming Lesson

"Tropical?" Nami asked.

"Check." Luffy said. It was too.

"Big enough for three rival pirate crews?" Nami went on. This was very important.

"Check." Luffy agreed. Luffy knew that.

"Deserted?" Nami added.

"I hope so." Luffy admitted. He wasn't sure.

"YOU'D BETTER MAKE SURE!!" Nami screamed.

"Calm down." Luffy replied.

OoO

"I hate roughing it." Siam complained, as the Black Cats set foot on the island, which they decided to name EJ Island (when she found out, she was furious).

"Yay!" Yelled EJ, who had miraculously recovered from her weakness, as she charged off of the Merry Go. "Camping!"

"I love the great outdoors." Siam said.

"Yeah right." Zolo smirked.

"Hey, sword boy," Siam stopped, and the two green-haired pirates glared at each other. "I haven't forgotten that I still owe you for beating the hell out of me _twice_!"

Zolo's smirk grew. "Yeah right, you can't beat me!"

"You leave my bro alone!" Butchie called, coming to his older brother's defence.

"All three of you knock it off!" Nami snapped, coming over to them. "We're supposed to be calling a truce, for EJ-Chan's sake!"

After seeing how badly she'd reacted to a simple statement (an untrue one) from Nezumi, nobody dared to question Nami, then or ever. They just nodded.

"For the Princess." Zolo agreed.

"For EJ-Chan." The Meowban Brothers added in unison.

OoO

"For God's sake, I WON'T stand this!" EJ yelled, when the Black Cats and Straw Hats (and Ace) couldn't decide who EJ was staying with. "I'm staying with Buggy!" She added, and stomped off in the direction of that particular captain's camp, dragging Blood Sword with her.

EVERYONE ELSE: T_T

OoO

EJ and Sanji teamed up to cook a killer meal that night, consisting of fruits, leaves and meat from onboard the Merry Go.

"Pass the salt Sanji-Kun!" EJ chirped.

"Of course, EJ-Chan!"

"_Of course EJ-Chan._" Siam mimicked from afar. He didn't like seeing EJ get along with anyone outside of the Black Cats.

Everyone ate divided into three different groups, with EJ switching between them.

_This is driving me insane. I know I have to choose eventually…and THAT might mean choosing between Zolo-Kun and Siam-Chan…maybe I should just join Buggy's crew…eww, no wait, Alvida…it's bound to happen and I can't team up with HER…eww…_

EJ decided to take a walk, to figure out her feelings, and her dream. She explored the island from head to tail (it was shaped like a cat) and ended up sitting by herself at the tail, on the softest sand in history.

"_And I remember, how it all came true, it was all so tender, and I was lost with you, by the sweet Sorrento moon!_" EJ found herself singing.

"Wow, she _can_ sing." Siam, who had followed her, muttered.

"Of course." Murmured Zolo, who had _also_ followed her. "She's great."

They glared at each other.

oOo  
_I sang your praises daily  
And we let ourselves get swept away  
It's true baby  
We held heaven in our hands for days  
You wait a long time  
For something wild to take you somewhere  
And all I needed was to fly  
It's a long way from paradise to ordinary  
Picture us just smiling there, we didn't have a care_

_I remember, how it all came true  
It was oh so tender  
And I was lost with you  
By the sweet sorrento moon_

_But the stars don't burn that brightly  
Every season surely slips away  
But you baby  
You're the reason why I chose to stay  
You wait a long time to find your dream and hold on to it  
And all I needed was to fly  
It's a long day from innocence to understanding  
A picture of a child at play, is how I feel today_

_And I remember, how it all came true  
It was oh so tender, and I was lost with you  
By the sweet sorrento moon..._

_You were never far away!_

_Oh baby, now I remember, how it all came true  
It was oh so tender, and I was lost with you  
By the sweet sorrento moon..._

oOo

_Oh, I WISH I could figure out this dream of mine…if only Jed were here…sigh, I miss him…_

OoO

The next day, EJ watched as most others went swimming. Kuro was on board the Black Cat reading or something, and most of the other Black Cats were on shore, but the Straw Hats and Buggy's crew went swimming (on different sides of the beach of course), save for Luffy, Ace and Buggy.

Luffy and Ace built a killer sandcastle, and Buggy tried to convince EJ that he wasn't gay.

"Have you ever had a girlfriend?" She asked him. She was enjoying his torture immensely.

"N-no…" He frowned. "Shanks always got all of the best girls."

"Duh." EJ murmured under her breath. She didn't want to mention that it was because Shanks was not only hotter then Buggy, but he was _nicer_. EJ had borrowed a black one piece (lol) suit off of Nami, and a sarong. "Well, maybe you'll find someone, I know this one woman…she's really pretty, she considers herself to be Queen of the Pirates…" _I hate her so much…_

Buggy wanted to know more but, just then, Zolo came up to her.

"EJ, why won't you swim with us?"

"Because I'm a cat, and cats don't swim." EJ replied, twitching her tail.

"Says who?"

"You sound like Kuina-Nee-Chan, she was always trying to teach me how to swim…" EJ regretted saying that.

Zolo then made it his mission to teach EJ how to swim.

"You didn't eat the Devil's Fruit," He said, as he dragged her towards the ocean, her feet were dug in but he was strong. "So there's no reason why you can't swim!"

"No no no no no no no!!!" She screamed like a stubborn child.

"I'll let you call me 'Zolo-horse' again."

"Okay."

OoO

_Walking On Sunshine, by Katrina and the Waves._

"Don't let go!" EJ cried.

"I won't." Zolo said, as EJ dog (cat?) paddled around with Zolo holding onto her wrists as she kicked her legs.

"Oh my gosh, I CAN SWIM!!" She yelled. "Okay, let go Zolo-Kun, I can do this!"

Zolo let go, and EJ swum, swum, swum…she swum way far out, and Sanji had to rescue her.

"Nami-Nee-San, I can swim!" EJ called.

"I see!" Nami was having a lot of fun. She looked great in a dark blue bikini, and she was glad to see that her nakama were having fun too.

It almost made her forget the presence of the Black Cats and Buggy's crew.

ALMOST…

OoO

"Giddy-up Zolo-horse!" EJ yelled, waving her hand like a cowgirl.

"Come on Sanji-Kun, we can win this!" Nami yelled, and jabbed Sanji with her heels, as the two boys carried the two girls through the water.

"I think we're in over our heads marimo." Sanji murmured to Zolo.

"Neigh, I mean aye." Zolo agreed, which caused EJ to jab him with _her_ heels.

"Quiet you!" She snapped, and then grinned. "Yee-haaw! I can swim again _and _ride my Zolo-horse again!"

Zolo grinned despite himself. Besides, EJ was, like, 45kg, at the most. She was as light as a feather. Too bad her heels were so sharp.

Siam ran into the forest, screamed bloody murder, and then came back calmly. _I'm gonna kill sword boy, mark my words…_ He thought darkly, although EJ's smile was like a ray of sunlight.


	33. Dreams Of The Dead

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

Dreams Of The Dead

**MEG: Ooh, SCARY chapter name!**

**ZOLO: *Rolls eyes* No, it's not.**

**MEG: Is too!**

**ZOLO: Is not!**

**MEG: Then how come **_**Usopp's**_** cowering in the corner!?**

**ZOLO: That's **_**Usopp**_** we're talking about!**

**MEG: Touché old man, touché.**

**EJ: Zolo's your Dad?**

**MEG: Eew, no!**

OoO

_-Dream_

_EJ looked around her in the fog. She couldn't see at all. Where am I? She wondered. She reached out a hand into the fog…wait, a HAND!?_

_She wasn't a cat girl. She didn't know what had happened, until she looked down and saw Kyo in her arms._

"_Where are we Kyo?" EJ asked, and then she gasped. "Are…are we dead!?"_

"_Princess EJ!"_

_EJ looked up and saw five figures walking towards her through the fog._

_One was a blonde-haired man smoking a cigar. Something about his facial features looked familiar._

_Then, there was a woman, with a long nose…her face also looked familiar._

_Then, there was a woman with red hair, and her t-shirt said MACE._

_Then, there was a blonde-haired girl, who looked frail and weak._

_And lastly…_

"_KUINA-NEE-CHAN!!!!" EJ shouted and, ignorant of the cat in her arms, ran to her cousin, who hadn't aged a bit, and it was funny to be calling somebody younger then her 'Nee-Chan'._

"_EJ-Chan!" Kuina called, and ran to her._

_The two cousins hugged, and EJ added: "You haven't changed a bit!"_

_Kuina laughed._

"_So, seriously, where are we?" EJ asked, looking around at the others who were of course Sanji's Father, Usopp's Mother, Bellemare and Kyja._

"_This is the land of dreams where the dead dwell." Bellamare said simply._

_EJ cringed, and looked down at Kyo in her arms. He meowed and nuzzled her arm._

"_Do you know _why_ we were killed?" Sanji's Father asked her. He was the one who had called her 'Princess EJ'._

_EJ shook her head. "Oh, wait, I know Bellemare was killed by Arlong…Bellemare, did you know what happened to Nami-Nee-San?"_

"_Course I did." Bellemare drawled. "I would've done something if not for my being…well, you know. Anyway, I'm glad she's okay now, her and Nogiko make me so much prouder everyday."_

"_Nami-Nee-San's a pirate." EJ told her._

_Bellemare laughed. "I know, she's really going to make her dreams come true! She's a real go-getter!"_

"_That she is." EJ agreed, thinking of the damage Nami had done to Nezumi for insulting women._

_Sanji's Father nodded. "Okay, anyway, so DO you know why we were killed?"_

"_Why don't you tell me?" EJ suggested._

"_Because we are all related to or close to people in your crew." Kyja told her._

"_We're talking about the Straw Hats here, right?" EJ asked, just to make sure._

_Kuina looked unsettled. "EJ-Chan, you KNOW you don't really belong with the Black Cats…"_

"_Let's not get into it." EJ didn't want to fight with Kuina. "Okay, so you were all killed…by Setsuna?"_

"_Of course." Usopp's Mother replied, at the same time Sanji's Father looked decidedly angry._

_I take it Sanji's old man doesn't like Setsuna. EJ thought. She said: "Okay, so what does that have to do with anything?"_

"_You see sweetie," Bellemare said gently. "We're only half the people that lady wants dead, to get to full power to be able to kill you. Nogiko's another of them."_

"_Well I'm not going to let THAT happen!" EJ said firmly._

"_That guy, Chef Zeff?" Sanji's Dad added. "He's another one she wants dead."_

"_I hate Setsuna." EJ said glumly. "She's killing EVERYONE I know, or people I know know. Next you're gonna be telling me she wants to kill Shanks and Ace."_

_Kuina and Kyja exchanged a glance._

"_Oh give me a break." EJ groaned. "Who else? That's four…"_

"_My Father." Kuina said softly._

_EJ's mouth dropped open. "Uncle!? No way!" She looked angrier then anyone had ever seen her before. "What can I do to prevent this!?"_

"_Your power…" Bellemare said softly. "Needs to be added to. You can draw this from the two people you feel closest to at the moment."_

_EJ blanked. "The two people…I feel closest to?"_

_Kuina nodded. "Uh huh. We both know one of them…"_

_EJ gasped. "Zolo-Kun!"_

_Kuina nodded. "He's also a real go-getter, isn't he?"_

_EJ sighed. "You get used to it. But…who's the other one?"_

_But, in her heart of hearts, she already knew who it was._

OoO

EJ was awakened by Nami's scream, and Ace yelling something as Setsuna laughed evilly.


	34. Power Play Prt 1

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

Power Play Prt 1

EJ was awake in an instant and running across the sand to where she saw Setsuna. Ace and Nami were there, along with the rest of the Straw Hats, Buggy, the Meowban Brothers, Django and Kuro.

"Setsuna!" EJ shouted, remembering her dream. "Leave them all alone, your fight is with me! You killed my parents, not to mention a lot of other people!"

It was all starting to fall into place. The accidents, the killings…somehow, Setsuna had been behind all of them. Sent Arlong to Cocoyashi Village where he killed Bellemare. Inflicted Kuina and Usopp's Mother with diseases. Sent thieves to kill Sanji's Father.

EJ felt angry at Setsuna, ashamed because, indirectly, it was her fault, and upset because she couldn't figure out EXACTLY what her dreams meant. She was back as a cat girl, Blood Sword in her hand, and her eyes angry and red.

Setsuna laughed. "You cannot stop me now, as you could not stop me years ago, Emma-Jane!"

"You sent all those pirates to the other world to find a way to destroy me!" EJ said angrily, _Façade_ by Disturbed playing in her head for some reason. "The only one who was actually willing was Arlong though!"

"That's right!" Said the voice that made EJ and Nami flinch, and Bellemare want to come down from heaven and murder the merman. "This has all been very entertaining, but now it's about time we ended this, right men!?"

"Aye!" The merman yelled.

"EJ-Chan?" Siam was looking at her. "Are you alright?"

_No!_ She wanted to scream. _I haven't been alright since I started having these dreams!_

The mermen attacked.

_I can't do this!_ EJ felt frozen to the spot, as she watched a bloody battle unfold before her. _I…I wish Jed were here! He'd know just what to do! But…he's not here, so I have to…sort this out…on my own…_

EJ: I hate being on my own…I hate it so much…I CRAVE company…the company the Straw Hats can give me, and the Black Cats, and even Buggy's crew…I have to…where IS Jed anyway?

Ace's shout suddenly brought EJ back to reality, and she leapt into fray almost without thinking. The result was that she killed the merman attacking Ace.

The Straw Hats stared at EJ in shock, and Usopp voiced what they were all thinking: "She _killed_ him, just like that!"

"That's right!" EJ said, pointing her sword at Arlong, who looked furious. "And I'd do it again! Cats prey on fish like you, and that's just what I plan to do!"

Soon, EJ was locked into battle with Arlong.

_I can't keep doing this! I have to get to Setsuna and kill her, before she uses her time key…oh no, here she goes!_

EJ dodged away from Arlong and flew at Setsuna. "No!" EJ cried, and Setsuna's chant was broken. The two met in combat, and Setsuna's staff acted as a sword.

"You little bitch!" Setsuna growled. "It is my DESTINY to claim your power!"

"You'll NEVER get my power, nor will you hurt my friends anymore!" EJ was alive suddenly, and began to glow. This was it. This had to be it. The time was now. "Zolo-Kun, Siam-Chan, lend me your power! The time to defeat Setsuna is now!"

"Our power!?" The two green-haired pirates said in unison.

"That's right!" EJ called, and hoped to God that what was supposed to happen would happen.

OoO

"Do zey know what zey're doing?" Mihawk asked, as he watched the fight from the 'magic mirror'.

"I doubt it." Jed said, adjusting his glasses. "This is the first Miss. Emma-Jane's heard of being able to connect with other people's powers. She's not sure how to go about it, and neither are they…"

"Well, what can we do?" Asked the third figure standing by the mirror, the red-haired male known as Shanks.

"Offer advice," Jed looked impassive. "In the same way those long gone did. Through the dreams of those who know how to speak in that way…"

"I can do zat." Mihawk admitted.

"Me too." Shanks added.

Jed's voice changed. His powers came back to him. DREAM SPEAK…


	35. Power Play Prt 2

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

Power Play Prt 2

EJ was standing in a field of clover, in all of her neko-chan glory. Standing to her left was Zolo, looking confused, and to her right was Siam, equally confused.

Standing facing them were Jed, Mihawk and Shanks.

"Jed, you're okay!" EJ exclaimed, looking up at the bright sky suddenly. There was no sun, just like in _Majora's Mask_, on the moon. "Where are we?" Was she going to spend her whole life asking that?

"In the world of dreams." Jed replied. "Miss. Emma-Jane, you have had a hard life. From birth, you were the Princess from the legends, long forgotten. You lost your cat half when Setsuna sent you to the other world, and your Blood Sword was lost as well."

"It was no coincidence," Shanks added. "That your sword ended up being transported here with the Black Cat Pirates, because you were destined to be helped with the sacrifice by Siam Meowban."

"Aye." EJ said, exchanging a glance with Siam. _How did Shanks know this?_ (It's one of life's mysteries that will never be solved).

Zolo was looking positively murderous and finally his bottled up feelings came out. "What about me!?" He exclaimed, and everybody looked at him.

"What about you?" EJ asked, not unkindly.

Zolo couldn't look at her. "I thought that you and I were…friends…or…more…" (EJ began to blush). "And yet you're so close to that Meowban! You and he are together so much, and he helped you colour your sword with your blood…" He clenched and unclenched his teeth. "EJ-Chan…what about all the fun _we_ have together? I taught you how to swim…"

Jed's mouth dropped open.

"And…I thought I was important to you too…" Zolo added, sounding awkward.

EJ was red in the face, but at last she said: "You are…Zolo-horse."

Shanks burst out laughing, and Mihawk's eyes twinkled, like he wanted to laugh but felt it would be bad form if he did.

Siam and Jed looked from EJ to Zolo, who were smiling at each other, and then EJ said: "So…this power? Kuina-Nee-Chan told me I could get it from Siam-Chan _and_ Zolo-Kun…how?"

"You must have ze _will_ to connect your powers." Mihawk informed them. "Cat girl who wields ze Blood Sword, to connect her powers with santoryu swordsman and cat-like pirate…"

"Yes, but _how_?" EJ felt confused, and looked at Jed. "Jed…I…I don't understand." Tears of frustration welled up in her eyes. "I didn't understand then and I don't now…"

Jed looked at her. "You do, Miss. Emma-Jane. You have from the moment you were born. Your will to protect others, especially pirates, was always so strong…"

"My Will?" EJ repeated.

oOo

I think of you

and that alone is enough

to make the tears start to flow now

I always, always wish

that these fleeting thoughts

would reach you...

I've known all too well about pretending to be strong.

But since then, my doubts have vanished.

There's definitely things I want to show you

And so many words I want to hear

I want to see all sides of you, when you laugh and cry

So I'll stop waiting

and seize my "chance."

I think of you,

and I feel like that alone is enough

to make my heart grow stronger.

I always, always wish

that these fleeting thoughts

would reach you...

oOo

EJ suddenly came back into the world of 'One Piece', and knew the way…


	36. My Will Is Strong Enough

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

My Will Is Strong Enough

EJ yelled for Zolo and Siam, who were at her side immediately, as the battle reached a bloody stage.

EJ didn't even hesitate. She knew that life was full of bloody sacrifices and pain, and she'd had her fair share of that.

This would be child's play.

"Are you willing?" She asked them both.

They nodded.

EJ used her left paw to grab onto Siam's hand, and forced his claws to dig into her palm.

At the same time, she used her right paw to thrust Blood Sword into the sand before her, and then grabbed onto the blade of Zolo's sword, Wandou, and let it cut into her hand.

They were willing, and so was she. She then let go of them and clasped Blood Sword in her bleeding hands (paws? Can paws clasp a sword?)

Everything was silent for a moment, and then EJ began to glow. She felt like she should say something like what Flora said in Sleeping Beauty but, before she could, her body seemed to move on its own.

She was soon engaged in a deadly sword fight with Setsuna.

Only then did her friends speak.

"Go EJ!" Luffy yelled.

"Go for it cat-girl!" Ace added.

"Girl power, EJ-Chan!" Nami reminded her.

"Go EJ-Chan!" Sanji cheered.

"You can win EJ!" Usopp told her.

"Go EJ go!" Butchie called.

"Win or else!" Django warned her.

Kuro didn't say anything, but he was silently cheering for her. So was Buggy.

Arlong had been defeated. He wasn't dead, but he was close to it. _How could some lousy p-humans do all this!?_

"GO EJ-CHAN!!" Zolo and Siam screamed in unison.

That was all the support EJ needed, as she stabbed her sword straight into Setsuna's heart.

"Ha ha!" Setsuna laughed. "That will never destroy me, bitch!"

EJ knew that. "But I know what will!" She cried. "My sword just likes blood!" And she withdrew her sword, before plunging it straight into the heart of Setsuna's time key.

oOo

I've just found my Tanelorn  
My task is done, my quest complete  
But some things seem strange, unreal  
Dearest wish and clearest vision  
Form the sea I navigate  
I shun the cliffs of consciousness

In the deep where fire leaps up to become the shape of all that you fear  
Know the gate to glorious fates never seen in this life.  
So I fall…

…in other worlds on deeper plains  
I'm coming through again  
Forlorn in the never  
When I rise (to awake)  
And regain consciousness  
Then all is reduced to nothingness

There are times I can't believe  
I crossed the line because I see  
These dreams of despair they are real

In the deep where fire leaps up to become the shape of all that you fear  
Know the gate to glorious fates never seen in this life.  
So I fall…

…in other worlds on deeper plains  
I'm coming through again  
Forlorn in the never  
When I rise (to awake)  
And regain consciousness  
Then all is reduced to nothingness

Caught in the gravity of the non-dreaming world  
I suffer from the incapacity to create a future that never was

Someone in the multiverse is dreaming your reality  
Imagine he could be the one who lives your dreams.  
Connecting, interacting on the field of possibilities  
Figments of the mind behold divinity.

Someone in the multiverse is dreaming your reality  
Imagine he could be the one who lives your dreams.  
Connecting, interacting on the field of possibilities  
Figments of the mind behold divinity.

So I fall, unknown fates I see again

…in other worlds on deeper plains  
I'm coming through again  
Forlorn in the never  
When I rise (to awake)  
And regain consciousness  
Then all is reduced to nothingness

…in other worlds on deeper plains  
I'm coming through again  
Forlorn in the never  
When I rise (to awake)  
And regain consciousness  
Then all is reduced to nothingness

oOo

EJ floated in space, not sure where she was.

"_EJ-Chan, my darling daughter…"_

"_EJ-Chan…"_

Tears came to EJ's eyes. "Okaasan? Otousan?" Mother! Father!

Her parents came to her and embraced her. EJ let them hold her, sobbing silently.

"Did I win?"

"_Yes, EJ-Chan. It is finally over…"_

"I'm so happy…"

"_You protected your Uncle and everyone…they probably never even knew, save for maybe Ace…"_

"Now what though? What will I do now?"

"_You know what you want to do, EJ-Chan. In your heart of hearts, you have always known…"_

"Hai. I have always known…time for me to go, but…I love you guys…"

"_We love you too."_ Her parents said in unison, and then cat girl and her parents were separated for the last time…


	37. Home James, I Mean Jed…

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

Home James, I Mean Jed…

"She's waking up!" Nami cried.

"EJ-Chan!" Sanji exclaimed.

"Miss. Emma-Jane!" Jed said softly.

"Yahoo! She's okay!" Luffy cried.

"What's wrong with cat-girl's sword?" Ace wondered.

EJ's eyes snapped open, and she sat up fast.

Ace began laughing. "Gotcha cat-girl!"

EJ stared at him, and then looked around at all of the relieved faces. Buggy's crew, the Black Cats, the Straw Hats and Jed.

Shanks hadn't come. EJ didn't think he would. He would find Luffy when Luffy became pirate king, and maybe even get his hat back…

But, until then…

Luffy threw his arms around EJ's neck, and hugged her. "Group hug!" He cried, and Usopp, Nami and Sanji all joined in on the hug.

EJ broke away from them after awhile, laughing, and she stood up. "We won." She looked around. "Where are the merman?"

"Who knows?" Nami replied softly. "I think they're going to leave us alone for awhile."

"I do too." EJ looked at Nami. "Nami-Nee-San…Bellemare…she's very proud of you."

Tears were in Nami's eyes. 'I'm so glad…"

EJ looked around again. "Hey, where are Zolo and Siam? And Mihawk?"

Zolo and Mihawk suddenly walked out of the jungle. Zolo was all cut up, and looking like he'd just lost his best friend. EJ ran to him.

"Zolo-Kun, you _can't_ win!" She told him. "Sides, even if you _did_, you'd have to face _me_!" She looked at Mihawk. "At leats you left him alive…where's Siam?" She called to Butchie.

"Help! Help!" The voice cut through EJ like a knife. She spun around.

"Oh no!" Butchie cried. "Siam's DROWNING!!"

"I''LL rescue him!!" EJ announced, and ran to the surf. She hurtled herself in, and swam like a shark towards Siam.

"No, shark-EJ!" Siam cried, and THAT was incentive enough for him to swim to shore, with EJ chasing him.

Everyone laughed, even Zolo.

OoO

Once everyone was dry, had their injuries tended to and was content, they all sat on the sand.

"What will you do now EJ-Chan?" Nami asked her.

EJ smiled. She'd been hoping somebody would ask her that. "I was hoping you'd ask me…"

"Which crew are you gonna join?" Luffy interrupted. "There's a place for you in our nakama…"

"And you're welcome to join to Black Cats too…" Siam glanced at Kuro, who was glaring at him. "Ne?"

Kuro sighed, and looked at his brother. Jed shrugged.

EJ smiled. "I have made my decision. I know what I am going to do. I will…"

"THERE YOU ARE!!"

Everyone leapt to his or her feet, and stared at Colonel Nezumi, who was marching along the beach towards them, alone, and looking like a shipwrecked survivor.

"He just doesn't give up, does he!?" Nami exclaimed, about to attack, but EJ beat her to it.

She went charging across the sand, grabbed her sword and pounced on Nezumi.

She pinned him to the ground, and held the sword to his throat. "Nezumi, you baka! You can't possibly win against all of us, least of all me and Nami-Nee-San!"

Nezumi stared at her. She grinned, and jumped up. "Still," She said, pointing the sword at him, which now bore a black lightning strike on its blade. "I don't want to kill you. I _like_ you; you make things interesting for us! If you weren't a rat, you'd even be cute! But you're not, because cats don't dig rats!"

Nezumi just stared at her.

EJ's grin grew, and she walked away from Nezumi. He stayed where he was.

Nami and the others were glaring at him.

"Leave him in one piece, okay?" EJ grinned, and then grabbed Jed's hand. She'd need his help for this. "Dimensional Transport!" She cried, and traced a circle in the air with her sword. A gaping black hole appeared, and she and Jed stepped through it.

OoO

"WHERE HAVE YOU _BEEN_!!??" Katie yelled, as EJ stepped into the dining room. Katie was too angry to notice EJ's cat ears and tail, and her sword. "YOU ARE IN _BIG_ TROUBLE YOUNG LADY!!" She had been missing for about a week now!

EJ just stood there, as Jed came in behind her. He had gone up to her room, and collected some things for her. Her red jacket, her Luffy doll, and a picture of her and Kyo in a frame.

Katie's eyes narrowed in on Jed, as Nathan came into the room from another door.

"I _KNEW_ HE HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT!!" Nathan bellowed.

Katie eyed Jed coolly. "You're fired." She said simply.

Jed regarded her coolly back. "You cannot fire me, because I quit. And, Miss. Emma-Jane is coming with me."

EJ meowed. "Nyaa! That's right!" She strapped Blood Sword to her back. That's when her ex-foster parents noticed her cat ears and tail, and the sword. Their mouths dropped open. "See, I am actually a Princess from another world, and I have friends back there, and a future, to protect pirates some of whom, might I add, were living in this very house!" She grinned, and then turned and left the house with Jed following her.

Because her sword had destroyed Setsuna and her time key, a lot of Setsuna's space travel powers had been passed onto EJ. She was glad.

"EJ-Chan!" Siam and Zolo came running towards her.

EJ frowned. "Did you follow me through the portal?"

They nodded. "But come quick, you gotta see this!" They grabbed her hands and dragged her away.

Jed smiled, and followed.


	38. Ruki

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

Ruki

Siam and Zolo had found this place when they'd followed EJ through the portal. It was a junkyard, and EJ recognised it.

Siam pointed his claw to a crate that was sitting in a corner of the junkyard, and EJ approached it alone.

A grey tabby cat was lying in the crate, with five kittens of about a year old around her.

"Umm, aren't they a little bit _old_ to be living with their Mother?" EJ asked the Mother cat.

The Mother cat looked at her like she was insane. _Well, YOU come up with a solution then…by the way, their Father was YOUR cat, Kyo. I miss him, so…_

"Can I have one of your cats?" EJ asked her.

The Mother cat considered this, and then nodded. _Since Kyo was YOUR cat. Take the black one, she's a real trouble maker. Her name is Ruki._

"What a perfect name." EJ said, taking the blue-eyed black cat out of the crate. Ruki immediately reached up and tried to swat with her claws at EJ's cat ear.

EJ laughed. "I see what you mean. Well, good luck." She told the Mother cat, and then went back to Zolo, Siam and Jed.

"What I've decided," She said. "Is to live with Jed for awhile."

Siam went to interrupt, but EJ held up a paw. "Let me finish. See, I was never given a chance for a proper life. Jed is like a Father to me, and I want to experience the rest of my teenager years with a guardian, a parent. Besides, I can't choose between Black Cats and Straw Hats!"

_Nyaa!_ Ruki said. _Choose Black Cats!_

"Shoosh." EJ told her gently, putting her in the hoodie of her jacket. Ruki clung to EJ's shoulder as EJ used her sword to return them all to the One Piece world, EJ's permanent home from now on in.

OoO

EJ knew she would never have a _normal_ life, as such. She was a Princess, who was destined to protect the people she loved, and that included pirates. Setsuna's powers were going to give her a helping hand…err, _paw_, she knew that.

She loved Siam and Zolo, and wasn't about to consider making her decision between the two yet. One day, she would battle Zolo, and one day she would defeat Mihawk.

One day, she might even get married and have kids. Would they be cat-like, just like her?

_Nyaa!_ Says Ruki. _Who knows!?_

OoO

**FIN**

OoO

**MEG: Well, how was that!?**

**ZOLO: I hated that ending.**

**MEG: I know you did. That's why I wrote it.**

**NAMI: At least Nogiko didn't get killed.**

**USOPP: Poor Kyja!**

**EJ: Don't cry Usopp!**

**USOPP: I'm not crying! (He's crying).**

**MEG: Please R&R ppls, and if possible, check out some of my other stories!**

**XXOO**


End file.
